The Undomestic Witch
by ElaineAbbene
Summary: Astoria is pretending to be a muggle to escape an arranged marriage. Lu & Cissa think she's a housekeeper. She thinks "Drake" is the gardener & Draco thinks Tori's the most wonderful woman he's ever met. Will hiding her powers help her find real magic?
1. Astoria Greengrass: Attorney at Law

**And here's the surprise I've been working on for ages. It's actually written and just will need minor editing for updates (those fans that read my stuff and know my notorious updating problem/writers block). I've had this idea since forever, and I just really love this couple. So, here goes. I hope you review because it will motivate me to post more often and also work on my other stuff. Also, know that at least parts of the plot can be accredited to the amazing author Sophie Kinsella and her novel The Undomestic Goddess. But, I have a few things up my sleeve- as always. So please read, enjoy, and review. **

"Are you okay?" comes a voice from my left. I look up, it's that new intern. She obviously hasn't learned not to ask me stupid questions yet.

"I'm fine," I snap, looking up at her with a glare. Her look of dejection actually pricks my conscience, and I quickly amend it with a look of remorse. "I'm just a bit stressed."

"Well you're a bit pale, and I know how much I've seen you in the office these past weeks. I just wondered if there was anything I could do to help. You seem like you need a break," she says with a look of sympathy. And she's right. I'm fairly sure I have reached a whole new level of wretched pitifullness. Hell, I even slept in my office twice last week. I didn't even go home, I just washed up a bit in the loo and smoothed out my robes. No one even noticed. "Maybe you should take a vacation."

When I first started working at Greengrass La'Blanc, I never pictured myself as the workaholic, addicted to my watch, never leave the office type. However, I've gradually come to realize that yes, I have turned into my father. Because when you're a lawyer at Greengrass La'Blanc, you don't sit around. Not even if your father owns half the company. Let's just say when ten minutes of your time is worth 50 galleons, you don't barely go to the loo. And when twenty minutes is 100 galleons. You don't eat lunch. Merlin, you don't even make it back to your flat to sleep. I don't have time for a BREAK, let alone a vacation! Not if I want to prove to my father that yes, witches can work, yes, I am qualified to be a top lawyer, and no, I will not be satisfied with some ridiculous marriage of my mother's contriving.

I'm about to explain all of this to the wonderful Miss Delacour, but before I can, a red airplane lands on my desk. "WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU! THE FALCON'S ACCOUNT IS BACK ON!" booms my father's voice, and I wince. Getting up, I spill some steaming tea on myself, causing me to curse as it burns through my thick black robes. Grabbing the necessary files, I rush out of my office, leaving a frowning intern in my wake. Running down the hall, I whip out my wand, unsuccessfully trying to get out the stain. Hell… At least my robes are black. A man surely won't notice.

"Ahh, Lady Astoria," says Monsieur La'Blanc as I rush into the conference room. "I see you've brought the contracts, if you could put them on the table…"

"Yes, I've got the draft documentation right here…" I whip out the file and hastily put it on the table.

"You're nearly five minutes late, young Lady Greengrass," points out my father sternly from across the table. Honestly, he's my father, you would think he would address me a little warmer.

"I'm sorry_ Lord _Greengrass, I didn't know this meeting was back on," I reply, hastily sitting down and smoothing my robes, discretely hiding the tea stain.

"Would you mind serving the refreshments?" asks Monsieur La'Blanc. I hide my frown and do as he bids while my father turns slightly purple.

"I sent that intern to get you. It should have taken less than a minute for you to get here." I frown, knowing that Mademoiselle Delacour most likely got distracted, and I don't really want to get her into trouble. She is after all the only other female even working at this firm.

"I'm sorry, I came as soon as I got the message," I say, bowing my head as I pour the tea for the various managers and owners of the esteemed quidditch team sitting in front of me. I was a Cannon's fan myself, back when I had the time for such frivolities, back when I had a life. But that's all in the past, practically forgotten.

We sit down, and the conference convenes. I'm very proud of the contracts I've drawn up, and everything goes smoothly from there. After all, I was well prepared for this meeting before it got canceled, and so when unexpectedly, it is back on… nothing can faze me… not even when after all the work I did on the account to obtain it, my father hands it to Helios, my glory stealing brother… nothing can faze me… I can't let it.

I storm out of the meeting, unexpectedly running into that stupid intern. "Astoria?" I glare at her. "You had a message while you were in the meeting. From Raquel?"

"Raquel from Vertigon Visalli?" she has my attention. "Tell her I got the owl about clause four, and I'll floo her after lunch-"

"Not that Raquel, your house elf. She wanted you to know that your rubbish repository contract needs renewed, in the meantime, she cannot vanish your household… er… rubbish…"

"My what?" I must look like an idiot, but I have no idea what she's talking about.

"Your rubbish repository?"

"Can't she just vanish it?" Gabriella looks at me as if I've grown an extra head. "Oh… err.. I guess I'll get right on that." As I walk away, I shake my head and frown. Honestly, I can picture people vanishing things around the house with a snap of their fingers- the dust build up on the mantel, my half eaten breakfast, the robes I ruined when I was six. But I have never once, in the past year I have been living on my own, given a single thought as to where it all goes. It just… goes, like anything else anyone vanishes. You need a contract for that? No wonder firms like mine make so bloody much. Wait a tick! I don't HAVE a house elf!

"Astoria."

"What? What is it now!" I say spinning on my heel. Great. My brother is standing practically nose to nose with me now. Why can't I just ESCAPE! Helios is my best friend and twin. He's six foot six with the warm tanned skin, wavy dark auburn hair, and brilliant green eyes everyone else in my family proudly possesses. Everyone but me. The white sheep of the family. The ODD one. With the pin straight pale blond hair, and pasty skin that refuses to tan, even in France. The only things that makes me remotely Greengrass-like are my eyes, which instead of being grass green, as they should be, are instead a pale celery color. If one is imaginative, poetic, or especially nice, they might be termed sea foam. And everyone wonders why I want to make a career rather than vie for a husband on the marriage mart with my gloriously beautiful sister Daphne, who in all likelihood will eventually settle down with Antares La'Blanc. The most eligible bachelor in the history of wizard kind. If you ask Daphne. Or anyone at Sorcière Semaine, the French equivalent of witch weekly. Or most importantly, my mother.

"You seriously need to relax, it's just me. Sorry 'bout the meeting," he says.

"It's fine," I reply. But we both know it isn't. That was supposed to be my case. And it was passed to him for one reason, and one reason only. He's a boy. And he's father's heir. And I'm a daughter. Actually that's three reasons, but really they make up the same reason. It's the same reason I won't make partner.

"You deserve it you know," he confides referring to the announcement that will be made tomorrow. That he will be the youngest partner ever at our firm, and it really isn't just because he's daddy's little heir. That's only half of it. The other half being that they give him credit for twice as much work as he actually does, even when he tries to refuse to accept it as his own. Sometimes I hate how people treat twins as single entities.

"Don't say that. You know I would never be made partner. I'm just a stupid girl remember?"

"What's 124 times 75?" he asks.

"Nine thousand, three hundred," I say with a glare.

"What are the properties of dragon's blood?"

I also manage to rattle these off while rolling my eyes.

"And what are the ingredients to a shrinking solution?"

"Why do I need to tell you all this?" I say, finally done with his little trivia game.

"Just pointing out you're the brightest witch I know, and deserve partner over me, even if dad won't give it to you." He gives me a hug. "You're far from stupid Tori. I should know, I used to cheat off your potions homework."

"Helios!" I start to protest. He is awful smart too.

"How many NEWTs did take again?" he says cocking an eyebrow.

"Eight…" I scowl. Arithmancy, Astronomy, Muggle Studies, History, Herbology, Potions, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"And how many O's did you get?" he says with an even bigger smile.

"Eight… but don't forget I still managed to fail my…"

"And we both know charms doesn't count because you were hopeless to even try anyway. Even if you did fail the OWL… twice…" I glare at him for bringing it up. "You're brilliant."

"Anyways, don't we have a meeting, dearest brother?" I say switching the topic from my abysmal charms marks.

"Dearest sister, I do believe we do," he says taking my arm and leading me to our next meeting.

* * *

><p>Nine hours later the meeting finally gets out. I'm drained, as are my brother and father, but that doesn't mean anything to my mother who is expecting us for dinner. I sigh, looking at my watch, realizing I won't have time to change from my robes, which are still stained with tea from this morning, but now also have a bit of jam on them. She'll notice.<p>

I know we're already going to be late, so I hurriedly free my hair and try and use a quick curling charm. Inevitably, my hair frizzes out and turns into a bigger mess than before. I should know better than to use charms on it. My hair has never exactly been my pride and joy. Unlike Daphne's beautiful mass of curls and beauty, it's a bit limp, and certainly not as pretty as hers. Most of the time I try to hide it in a bun of some kind. As if that will disguise the fact that it's blonde… the color of stupidity. Really, Daphne is the stupid one. She got one Outstanding- in charms. And my mother never let me forget it.

Arriving home, to our Parisian townhouse, I wince at the sound of my mother's voice. She isn't happy.

"Astoria! You look a _positive_ mess! Honestly, working so much I barely ever see you. And I stopped by your flat today. I had my house elf Raquel go clean up a bit. It was a _positive_ disaster!" That's my mother, forever interfering into my life. She strongly disapproves of my living on my own, and the way I keep my apartment. She also disapproves of my job, and the fact that I'm not currently seeing anyone. In fact, the only way she would ever approve of me would be if I miraculously morphed into Daphne. That'll happen. As if I want to chase around inbred pureblood men with one thing on their minds and spend the rest of my time shopping, primping, and ordering around house elves. HAH!

One can see why I was never sorted into Slytherin. I was ambitious all right, but not dead set on nabbing the first rich husband I could find. I just want to prove myself to my father, and her, that I can be successful.

"Daddy! Helios! Astoria!" says Daphne, gliding into the parlor as mum frets with the ash on our robes from flooing. She gives us each a kiss on the cheek, helping mum with soot removing charms. I smile at her as she does a quick stain removal on mine, not that mother hasn't already seen the stains. Maybe if I'm extra nice, she'll fix my hair. I really do love my sister. I'm just a_ little_ jealous. I mean, if she wasn't already so perfect at being a daughter, I could be the best daughter possible. But there's no competing with Daphne. So I guess I'm trying to be a son? No, that's not right, dad has Helios. Nevermind, I'm not psychoanalyzing myself, I could pay a shrink to do that.

We troop into the dining room, which is already laid out with the first course, and suddenly I'm ravenous. When was the last time I ate? I had some kind of scones that were served during the meeting, hence the jam on my robes, but… I had a cup of tea this morning, and last night I had… leftover take out? No, that was the night before.

I make it through the first three courses without attracting too much attention, most of it is focused on Helios and his promotion occurring tomorrow, and the party tomorrow night in his honor. However, by the end of the third course, the attention is turned to Daphne who has an announcement.

"I have an interesting bit of news," she says, drawing my mother's immediate attention. Knowing so, she takes a sip of wine to draw out the moment and create some suspense. I know all of Daph's tricks. "Antares," she pauses again. "Thinks that it's about time," she pauses again, and I swear mum is going to wet herself. "That we got married." She taps her left hand with her wand and shoves a giant diamond engagement ring under our noses with a huge grin.

Chaos ensues. By the time our dessert arrives, my mother has cried twice, kissed everyone at the table three times, and exclaimed over the ring, and how he proposed. Conversation has progressed from a possible engagement party, to its details, the details of the wedding, the reception, honeymoon, and where they are planning to build their manor, all the way to how many children they're planning and what they want to name them. Antlia Dione and Atlas Hesperus, in case you were wondering.

I hungrily spoon the chocolate mousse dessert into my mouth to avoid comment, hoping I can leave before conversation inevitably turns to me. Mum turns to me and I know I haven't escaped in time. "Astoria, I raised you better than that, you look like a chipmunk. Ladies do not shovel food into their mouths like barbarians. Really, you're behaving like a _positive_ muggle!" I swallow apologetically and begin taking smaller bites and sit a little straighter. She's right you know. I was raised to behave like a perfect pureblood princess. I just forget sometimes.

"Now, when are you going to forget your _positively_ ridiculous idea of being a lawyer, and settle down with a nice pureblood boy, like Daphne? I mean, it wouldn't be that hard, you could start wearing some nicer robes, like Daphne's, and start going to some of the parties, like Daphne does, and you could make some nice friends, like Daphne's. You really haven't been very social since we moved from England."

Did I mention we left England when I was a fifth year to escape the impending war? Father always worked in France, and with the threat of death eaters, and the pressure to choose a side, the cowardly (albeit Slytherin-like) Greengrass family moved away. On the pretense that Father was tired of international flooing twice a day. And so Daph, Lio, and I finished our schooling at Bauxabatons. And we stayed here after the war to avoid pureblood prejudice back in England when it was over.

"Yes," joins in father, this conversation obviously rehearsed. "I've been meaning to talk to you. You need to settle down, there are lots of very nice young men at the firm for you to settle down with. Speaking of the firm, I'd like to have a meeting tomorrow, my office, nine AM. Sharp."

"Yes father," I reply demurely, wondering what he could possibly want to talk to me about. Perhaps a small promotion is in order, and he has seen all of the things I've been doing lately. Across the table, it looks as if Helios is thinking the same thing, as he flashes me a smile and a wink.

"Really, all that work you do is ridiculous!" starts mother. "You look _positively_ dead, it's obvious you aren't eating properly! If you want your figure to fill out nicely like Daphne's you should be eating regularly, not just drinking that caffeinated tea like you do. And spend a bit of time in the sunshine darling, you're paler than a boiled egg! And whatever did you do to your hair? You should go to the salon that Daphne has been going to. Yasmin is her new stylist."

"I uh… tried to charm it this afternoon, normally it doesn't look quite this bad, and really mum, I've been eating… and I was thinking about a… uhhh… weekend at the beach… with friends…. Soon." She doesn't look convinced.

"I just want what's best for you darling," she says looking at Daphne. What she means is she wishes I _was_ Daphne. I sigh…. I'm never going to be the perfect daughter. "If you don't hurry up and find a nice man, your father and I might have to do it for you."

"I er, yes mum… May I be excused, I have a long day tomorrow, and it's getting late," I say to avoid further conversation. I was never part of the plan, a boy and a girl, just like Daphne wants. I was a tag along twin with Helios, and my mother will never be able to deal with me, especially since I'm not exactly what she thinks is ideal for a daughter. For all the praise and love that mum and dad pile on Daphne and Helios and their accomplishments, I'll never be enough. If I let them start a rant now, I'll be lectured until midnight on properness, and what I should be doing with my life. I hate being the youngest.

"See if you lived at home like Daphne you wouldn't have to worry about getting back to that dreadful apartment of yours. By the way, I've decided to give you your old elf Dotty to help you take care of it. I can't have you living like that and you obviously aren't eating well." I nod and hug everyone goodbye, congratulating Daphne again, and wishing Helios luck tomorrow at his promotion meeting.

_Tell me what you thought please! ~**Elaine**_


	2. Luna Lovegood: Magizoologist

**Please enjoy and review!**

I apparate home in a dejected mood, landing with a thud in my messy kitchen that is really never used. I think I have some moldy bread, stale milk, and some butter somewhere in my cabinets. Sighing, I toss my robes into the pile of laundry that is overflowing the laundry room. I need to send that out soon. Luckily, I have about ten sets of plain black robes from my school days that still fit. I loosen the buttons on my plain white button down, untucking it from my knee length black skirt as I kick off my shoes.

"Hello," an odd airy voice greets me, coming from my sofa. I jump, bumping my hip into the counter painfully. Seated on my couch, long blond waves, big blue eyes, radish earrings and all, my bestest friend in the world!

"LUNA!" I cry, rushing to the couch and hugging her with all my might. "What are you doing here! I thought you were going to Zimbabwe to hunt for Three-headed Tusked Zinkyloos!" I've known Luna since the first night of Hogwarts when we sat next to each other after our sorting. On the first night she told me that she and her dad were magizoologists, and she had studied all sorts of interesting creatures like Wrackspurts and Crumple Horned Snorklacks. For a whole term I believed her and sucked up her stories about exotic world travels and fantastic beasts. Until I went home and my mother said it was all nonsense, and that her father was the man who published the joke publication the Quibbler. My mother literally thought the Quibbler was intended as a joke. I have never had the heart to tell her that the Lovegoods think everything they publish is honest to Merlin truth. Once I confronted Luna, with a library book on magical creatures, and pointed out that none of the things she claimed to study were real. Unabashed, she said they simply hadn't been documented yet.

"I know! And I am, but I just had to stop in France to see you on the way! I barely see you anymore you work-a-holic! You're so thin! And pale! Have you been sick? You have been using the wrackspurt and nargle protections I gave you?"

"It's just a blip at work…they are going to name a new partner soon…"

"Ah, a big promotion!"

"Actually, I'm not getting promoted, Helios is…"

"But he doesn't work half as hard as you do?"

"Well, father thinks he can handle the greater responsibility, and he's stationed to take over father's half, and well…" Luna doesn't understand as her father has never placed the female limitations on her that most pureblooded parents do. I wonder what it would be like for her if her mum hadn't died so tragically. "Anyways, once Helios gets his big promotion, I'm sure things will settle down for me a bit. It's just been crazy with the rest of the partners lowering their caseload in preparing to take on another partner. Someone had to pick it up."

"Yeah, your brother, who is going to have to pick it up when he gets the promotion. He should be proving himself!" I shrug evasively. I know she's right. "You are twenty years old for Merlin's sake!" You should be seeing the world, enjoying life, going on dates with muggles!"

"LUNA! You aren't!" I squeal. I'm not so sure even Mr. Lovegood would be okay with that.

"No, but I wish I was, there's this one on the floor below me… Alas, it was never meant to be, he's married, and I believe the wrackspurts have gotten to him. But really, you should be able to do something spontaneous! Not tied to that stupid job of yours where they treat you like a slave. Come with me on the Scamander Expedition. See the WORLD! We could use someone with your brains! It's rumored he has a super hot grandson…. I'll let you have him." She pleads with those big blue eyes of hers.

I smile… Loony Luna they called her… "I can't just take off, but I appreciate the offer. I know you'll tell me all about it, and you have to promise to kiss him for me, just to see if he's a good kisser. You know… like for scientific purposes."

"Just a month!" she begs.

"Luna, you're crazy. Seriously. You're crazy, but I love you." I say giving her another big hug.

"You're no fun anymore Stori, what happened to that girl I knew it school?" She laughs hugging me again. "Remember when we stole all of Goldstein's hair potions and switched them with hair removal solutions. Or when we broke into professor Moody's office to free the boggart! Ohh! When we spied on George Weasley in the quidditch lockers!"

"I know, I know! I'll try and be more fun by the time you get back from your expedition. I promise to do at least one spontaneous thing, and to work on my tan."

"And promise not to let your mum get to you too much."

"That too."

"Have a great trip, Luna. Write me every week! Or… or I'll come down there myself and hex people until they tell me where you are!" I know she won't, but if I threaten, she'll write me at least once a month.

"I will, and I'll miss you so so so much! It's going to be our longest time apart since the war," says Luna sadly. We don't speak about it, not really at all. But I know she has scars, and I try to help her, but some things you just have to accept. I'm not the nosy type, or the judging type. And I love Luna for Luna, even the parts she can't share with me because it's too painful.

"I'll miss you too. Have some laughs, Loony Luna!"

"Get that smile back! Sayonara Silly 'Storia!" I laugh at her as she apparates out.

Falling onto the recently vacated sofa, I realize I'm not going to make it to the bed. That's how exhausted I am. Pulling out my wand, I summon a blanket from the bedroom and roll onto my side. I'm not moving till morning.

* * *

><p>The next morning I stagger into work. I probably shouldn't have slept on the sofa. I barely have time to drop off my bag before I head to my dad's office.<p>

"Morning Daddy," I say less than cheerfully as he lets me in. He nods to the chair and gives me a quick tight lipped smile.

"Lady Greengrass," he says, causing me to sit up straighter. This obviously isn't a casual meeting. "I'd like to talk to you about Helios' impending promotion this afternoon." I nod, this is it. This is when he tells me that I've worked just as hard, and deserve just as much recognition for it. "You've really been picking up a lot of slack with contracts, and paperwork that the current partners have been pushing off on others as we prepare to take on a new partner. Therefore, I've decided that you deserve a position change too."

I grin, I'm getting a promotion. Helios used to be a Senior Associate, and I'm just a regular Associate, perhaps I'll get Helios' old job. I was sure it would go to that Franz who just came out of Bauxabatons but whose father is a Partner. This is too good to be true.

"We would like to make you Helios' Senior Assistant."

"Senior Assistant?" doesn't he mean Senior Associate.

"You would be in charge making sure his files remain organized and up to date, you'll keep track of all meetings and appointments, attend them with him, take adequate notes, make necessary updates on client files, take dictations, read and answer mail as appropriate, maybe tidy up his office a bit sometimes, tea…"

"WHAT?" I blurt out. "You mean… like a…. a secretary?"

"No, a Senior Assistant…"

"No, what you are describing is a glorified secretary."

"It comes with a pay raise."

"It's not about the money! Merlin! You… you think that this is what I want. _I _deserve the partnership! I do TWICE the work Helios does. I got THREE more bloody NEWTs than him! I SINGLEHANDEDLY nabbed the Glazerbrook account!"

"Really, Ria," he says gently, using the name only he has ever called me. "I've humored you, you've actually done a decent job, daughter, but it's time that you got a little more respectable. You turned twenty last month, it's time you got serious, settled down, met a nice man. Your mother is right. And Helios is going to be working rather closely with Michelangelo Montressor, he was a year above you at the Academy. I don't know if you know him. He has taken over his father's business, and his father trusted us explicitly with their finances and legal matters."

Tears are building up in my eyes, he was humoring me. I put all this bloody work in for nothing! I should never have joined the firm with Helios! I should have become a healer or something! I have never loved this job, but I took it, thinking I could make my dad proud and my mother eventually respect me a bit for something more than a pretty face. I thought I could prove to myself and others that I was just as good at dealing and wheeling as my dad. I thought a man would look at me one day and say, she is more than breeding stock. She is my equal in every way. "Mum put you up to this!" I accuse him, standing up, pointing at him, which I of course know is rude.

"Well, your mother and I discussed things with Lord Montressor, and his son is very interested, but…"

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!" I know at first he was a little more supportive of me, but now I can't believe what he's doing. She finally cracked my father's meager support in this. I'm going to have an arranged marriage with Michaelangelo Montressor if I don't put my foot down now.

"Ria, darling…"

"I QUIT! I QUIT!" I sob, giving him a glare and storming out of the office. "You're such a BASTARD!"

"RIA!" I hear him call after me, but I'm not giving him a chance to catch me.

I am barely three steps out the door when I spot my twin, hurrying toward me.

"I sensed, something wrong, Tori?" he pants, sometimes I hate our connection as twins.

"Walk, talk," I direct, speeding toward my office to gather my things. "Congrats on your promotion, dad made me your secretary, too bad we can't have kinky office sex, that'd just be wrong, so I'm quitting, maybe then he'll hire a hot secretary for you, problem solved! He was humoring me, letting me be an Associate until he finalizes a marriage with the Montressors, I can't stay here. I need to get away… Luna said she'd take me to Zimbabwe…"

"Zimbabwe?" asks a confused Helios as I shove my things in my bag.

"I need to get away, make me a portkey, hurry, before dad gets in here. I'm not talking to him! I'm done talking to everyone!" I exclaim a bit hysterically as I hold out a hairbrush. Luckily, Helios has always been one to act first, and ask questions later, and he also has a license to create impromptu portkeys to anywhere in the world.

"Where?" he says frantically starting the spell. I can hear my dad's footsteps coming nearer, and I'm not going to confront him like this. Half hysterical, half insane.

"Anywhere! Just activate it!" I say a bit shrilly as the door opens. I see my dad's purplish face for half a second before I feel the portkey activate, and I'm tumbling through space.

* * *

><p>I land in a heap in the middle of bloody no-where. It could actually be anywhere. I'm in a grassy field with a few trees in the distance, wildflowers growing here and there, it's quite pretty. I could be in Italy, America, England, Canada, France, Spain, South America…<p>

Okay, where the bloody hell am I? I quit my job, I'm lost, and, and…. I'm having a panic attack. I sit down quickly as the blood rushes from my head. I'm dizzy, and I can't breathe. Luna…. She would tell me to… in.. out.. in.. out.. I stand up, I have to find someone. I am obviously in no state to be alone. It's like a beat in my head… I QUIT I QUIT I QUIT. Mum was right, I never belonged in the business world… Gabi's right, I need a vacation… Helios is right, I need to relax… Luna's right, I need to smile…

I walk for what seems like hours, my head in a daze, my feet moving blindly. Eventually I reach a narrow lane, surely a sign of civilization. I have no idea where I'm going, just that I'm walking. The sun is beating down on me, it's dusty. At some point, I take off my robes and shove them in my bag with the rest of my things. I have no idea where I'm going, just that I can't stop. Eventually, my wonderings down this forsaken country road makes me thirsty. I'm pretty sure there's some sort of charm I could do, but it's not as if I could do it… really, it's a charm. I gave up on those first year. I swear, whatever I missed that first week of classes… I feel faint, I need to find some place to get some water, get out of the sun. It's late afternoon by now, surely, the sun is getting lower in the sky.

Eventually a high hedge appears along the side of the road, providing a small bit of shade for me to walk in. After a while, a black wrought iron gate appears in the hedge, and I know there must be some sort of estate. Perhaps I can go to the door, find out where I am, arrange for some type of transportation or, perhaps apparate if I have a slight idea where I might be. Most importantly, I remind myself, get a drink of water.

I push open the wrought iron gates, and walk up the drive toward the massive manor house in front of me. The green lawns are immaculate, with well tended gardens and a fountain. I even notice a white peacock meandering through the grounds. The house itself is a bit scary, a large white stone thing, with multiple towers, and balconies, and chimneys, much like Greengrass estate in England, only grander, with towers, and of course without the green roof. I finally reach the door, and gripping the large coiled snake serving as a knocker, I knock loudly.

There's silence. I stand for a while, but the whole house seems dead. I'm about to give up and trudge back out to the lane, when all of a sudden, the door swings open.

**Please tell me what you thought. I really really apreciate reviews and they inspire me to post more often for this story and to write more chapters for my other stories too. These chapters are pretty much written and just need some edits and tweaks, and I'll keep posting 1 to 2 times a week as long as everyone's interested! thanks. Ellie**


	3. Astoria Greengrass: Unemployed

**Before** **anyone goes up in arms about me posting this before the epilogue, this was ALREADY WRITTEN! and I haven't had time to write anything this week. I will try to write as much as I can this weekend. I had four exams this week, one tomorrow I need to START studying for, and annother on Friday. so... please just nice reviews or constructive criticisms of this, not angry at me for posting this before MHFLIL epilogue which is forthcoming I SWEAR! I already picked the twins names... unless for some reason I decided to change them AGAIN! But I'll try not to... lol. Please enjoy and review! **

"Thank goodness you're here!" she exclaims with a dazzling smile. She turns and calls out to someone who seems to reluctant to appear, but I really have no idea what she's on about. She could be speaking Zimbabwian for all I know. My head hurts so much I can barely look at her, let alone listen to whatever is coming out of her mouth.

"Are you all right," she finally asks. "You look _positively_ dreadful." She sounds so much like my mother here, I can't help but snap to attention.

"I have a rather terrible headache. Could I perhaps have a glass of water and a po… something for the pain?"

"Of course! Come in!" She guides me into the rather impressive entry with marble flooring and a huge crystal chandelier. "You'll want to see the house of course… LU!" Her voice rises shrilly as she calls for someone. "LU! Another one's here! I'm the Lady of the House, by the way, but you knew that… call me Cissa, everyone does. This way." She leads me down a series of hallways into a luxurious kitchen that would fit the entirety of my Paris flat in it. She quickly turns on a faucet, filling a glass that she must have gotten when I wasn't looking and hands it to me after putting a bit of white powder from a small unmarked bottle in it. If I didn't know better I would say it was powdered pain potion, but then again, I'm not one to say anything about muggles. "Drink that up."

"Thank you," I say swallowing it quickly, not wishing to taste the concoction if it's as horrible as what my mum forces down my throat. Knowing muggles, it is probably worse. My head is so painful, from the crying I think I did as I walked, that I can't even think straight.

"Your English is very good," she says giving me an appraising look. "Very good indeed."

"Oh," I say, a bit thrown. "Right. Well, I'm actually English, even if I have been living in France for the past five years. That's probably why."

"You're English, interesting. Well, sit down. That po… potent painkiller should kick in soon." However, before I can sit down, she sweeps me back down the hall. "The dining room, quite a bit of silver, polishing and the like, and a chandelier, dusting. Next is the drawing room. We don't use it any longer, but it must be kept in order," she looks at me, so I nod politely. Why I care about her housework, I'm not sure, but she's a muggle and I guess that in itself warrants acceptance for anything strange.

She leads me into the parlor while pointing out various things. "That's a lovely table," I say politely commenting on the shiny mahogany tea table.

"It needs polishing." Her grey eyes narrow. "Regularly, and believe me, I notice these things."

"Of course," I say with a smile.

As we pass through a library, a morning room, a billiards room, a music room, a bloody ball room, a conservatory, I am overcome with exhaustion. Every room has ornate marble fireplaces, opulent furnishings, and lush carpet or shining floors. Somehow, I think Cissa expected me to be fawning over everything, awed by my surroundings, but as a pureblood who has certainly seen at least near this equivalent, I manage to disappoint. Although it is nice, the La'Blanc's home is nearly as nice, and the Montressor's ballroom is at least twice as large, and the Guardelli's have the most expensive chandelier in the entire world, I should know, I worked on their insurance contract.

Suddenly, we reach a shut door, and Cissa knocks. "Lu?" she says, as if waiting for some imperceptible signal before she pushes the door open and pulls me in behind her to enter the study. Behind the desk is a man, most likely in his late forties, my father's age. Cissa is probably a few years younger, like my mother. He also has platinum blond hair, lighter than his wife's more golden hue, except his may have a few nearly imperceptible streaks of grey in it. More of a silver actually. As beautiful as his wife is, he's just as handsome. There's something about his strong, aristocratic features that makes him almost familiar to me. He reminds me of a politician type. He's wearing a tailored black suit without the jacket, the vest a dark blue to match his eyes. His hair is longish, tied back with a black band. Something about him is immediately intimidating, as if he can look at you and see all of your darkest secrets, and something else about him seems as if he himself has the darkest of secrets. However, Cissa immediately flits around his desk and settles herself on the arm of his chair, with a smile at him. For as intimidating as he is, he has the sweetest of smiles for her, and it's almost painful to watch, the couple is so obviously in love. He turns to me after a moment and stands, revealing that he must have hurt one of his legs because it moves rather stiffly, and he reaches for a cane as he walks around the desk, smoothly, yet obviously inhibited.

"I'm sure my wife has told you all about me," he says holding out his hand rather stiffly, as if he doesn't really wish to touch me. "I'm Lord of the Household, but you'll soon see who really runs things."

"Lu, this is…" Cissa pauses and looks at me in surprise. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"Tori," I supplement. "I'm so sorry to bother you but I had the worst headache, and…"

"I gave her something," replied Cissa hastily.

"Hah! Hopefully not that green poison you make, positively lethal Cissa."

"Lu! Don't say things like that!"

"Er… right, of course. We aren't trying to poison you." He said this last part slowly, emphasizing every word. "Just tastes bad is all."

"Of course not, we want to be as hospitable as possible," says Cissa with a glare in his direction. "Lu and I are so happy to have you." They both look at me, and I feel as if I'm supposed to say something.

"I'm very grateful, really," I give them my best society smile. "You've been so courteous, letting me trespass on your evening."

"Her English is very good isn't it?" says Lu with a surprised look to Cissa.

"She's English darling! She understands everything I say!" Really, I never thought I looked foreign, especially as they, like me, are both blond haired with light eyes.

"Shall we do a tour of the house then?" asks Lu. Really, I've already seen it all. If I didn't know better, I would think I was at the Montressor's when they are showing off for society. I really hate that you know. Trying to find something nice to say about every single room is such a bore. As if they haven't heard it before. I just want to sit and let the pain potion kick in. Or whatever it was.

"I already showed her most of the downstairs, but come along."

I can't say no. I'm too well bred to do something like that, but I simply cannot seem to focus as my head spins. I do a bit of math. I think I spent about eight hours wandering the countryside, and taking that potion on an empty stomach didn't do me any good. I follow obediently, up staircases, through room after room. My head is pounding, and all this woman can talk about is bloody house work. It's all she's interested in, I swear. Get a bloody life already. She keeps telling me which things need special dusting, and which cleaning solutions she uses on which things, and which things are never to be touched.

Suddenly we're upstairs, and she's showing me room after room of bedrooms, explaining how often the bedding needs washed. Really, like I care?

"So, whereabouts are you from, I know you said you have been living in France?" asks Cissa.

"Paris, Southern England originally, we moved a few years back," I reply absently.

"And you had a job in Paris?" she asks.

"I did. I quit."

"What sort of hours did you work?" she asks.

"Around the clock, I literally slept there sometimes. When I slept at all."

The couple looks stunned. Really, people have no idea what lawyers go through.

"You worked through the night? On your own?" asks Lu.

"Me and the other staff, whoever was needed."

"So you come from a big set up?" asks Cissa.

"One of the biggest in all of Europe," I say. I don't want to brag about my dad, but well, it's quite the company.

"Well, we are far more relaxed here I'm sure," says Cissa with a grin. She leads me up another flight of stairs to the third floor, I think. "Almost to the staff rooms." Really, such a large house, you think they could do with showing me the downstairs and be done.

"Could I…" I suddenly feel dizzy, and begin groping in my bag for my wand. What the hell if they are muggles. "I need to… sit down…" I can't find it. I'm frantic now. "That drink, was…. strong… I'm allergic to… hellborne…. Oh bollocks…."

I come to a bit later. I'm not sure how later. I'm in yet another large room, this one about as large as my bedroom at my parents, but much plainer. I've been laid out on the chaise, and my bag is next to me after a frantic search for it.

"Oh good! You're awake," says Cissa with a high pitched nervous laugh. "This is the staff accommodation."

"Lovely, a gorgeous room," I say.

"Great Tori, I'm glad you like it, because you've got the job!" says Lu. I blink stupidly at him.

Job? What Job?

"Lu!" snaps Cissa. "We can't offer it to her yet, we haven't even finished the interview process!"

Interview? Did I miss something?

"We haven't even given a full job description!" Cissa is hissing at him.

"Well, then give her the details. I'm rather ready for our walk in the garden." The mischievous grin isn't lost on me.

"Oh… well… Tori," Cissa giggles. "Your role as full time housekeeper will comprise of all cleaning, laundry, and cooking, you will wear a uniform, and maintain a courteous and respectful attitude to us and all guests. We will provide you with full board and lodgings, with four weeks holiday a year."

"Salary," interjected Lu. "Are we paying her more than the last muh….girl?" Cissa glares at him. If she was a witch, she'd whip out a wand and hex him into next week.

"Excuse us, Tori," she grabs his arm and drags him out of the room roughly. I can't properly hear, but from what I could tell, they argued. I'm too distracted to listen. I look around the room trying to gather myself. They think I'm a housekeeper? Mum would have a laughing fit at that one. I have to put them right, explain the misunderstanding. I lay back down on the chaise. I don't want to get up, I'm so tired. It's been a long day, painful, exhausting, emotional. I just want it to be over.

Suddenly, Cissa reappears, apologizing, but I can only really watch her mouth. I need to say something, anything, tell her I'm not a housekeeper. Suddenly it occurs to me. I could stay here, just one night.

"Would it be possible to start tonight?" I ask.

"Why yes, of course," says Cissa with a smile.

"Well make sure she's qualified first!" scowls a somewhat dejected looking Lu from the door.

"I'll make it quick… So, you're experienced in all forms of laundry? We got one of those machines," she says.

"Yes, I even got a… laundry prize… in school. That's what started my career." I really want to stay the night. I'll obliviate them in the morning. Oh, shit.. that's a charm… Maybe I'll just leave. Is there a potion for that, and where would I get the ingredients?

"And you're cordon bleu trained?"

"Err… yes, under the best Cordon Bleu Master in Pari, Madame Olympe Maxime." I rattle off, naming my ex-headmistress. "Her name clearly speaks for itself."

"Absolutely," says Cissa with a nod, but I see her shoot a confused look to her husband. Inside, I'm asking myself why I'm lying to these people, but really, I just need… a place for the night. And they seem nice enough. I'm sure neither of them are serial killers. They seem normal… like a couple my parents would have over for a dinner party. Somehow, I'm managing to block out my horrible day, my quitting my job, my brother's promotion, my sister's engagement, my utter failure as a daughter and a person.

_I'm going to get this job._

"Could you give us a sample menu, for a dinner party per say?" I smile. I've been to a thousand. I rattle off what we ate last night. The house elves made it, but really, I should know what it is, I ate it.

"Well, I must say, that's impressive!" exclaims Cissa with a smirk to Lu who looks like he's about to start drooling.

"And I'm assuming you have a reference?" A reference? Hell… bloody hell.

"We will need a reference," Cissa says with a condescending look that would do my mother proud. My mother is the master of condescending looks. Daphne and I will ever be mere students in her art. Cissa looks as if she could teach my mother a thing or two.

"My reference is young Lord Helios Greengrass. I've been associated with the Greengrasses for many, many, many years. I know Lord Helios will vouch for me," I say, knowing that the titles in my family, given to us by a stupid muggle king for service to the crown centuries ago, would impress them. Really, a bit of magic preformed without anyone the wiser could make you seem like a hero. Nearly all Purebloods in England have them. However, some, unlike the Greengrasses, have let them drop over the years.

"A positively lovely family," I embellish, nearly choking on my words as I think of my mother. "Quite the job keeping their townhouse clean. And… polishing Lady Daphne's… tiaras…" ha! Tiaras. I will not laugh, I will not laugh.

Both Cissa and Lu look stunned, perhaps I went a bit far with the tiaras. But imagine, Daphne in a tiara. Then she really would be a pratty pureblood princess. "Ahh, the Greengrasses, yes, fine family. If you served them, I know you'll do perfectly well," says Lu as if he knows them. I smirk. Likely. Because I'm sure my family is well known amongst muggles. More like he thought they should know who we are and feigned it.

"Well, if you're to start in the morning, we'll let you get to sleep. You must be very tired from your travels," says Cissa with a smile. "So happy to have you with us Tori."

I nod, sighing with relief as they leave. Muggles can be so utterly tiring.

**Please please review. I swear it helps me write more and you all know the inspiration is going to push the epilogue of MHFLIL faster! Thanks! Ellie**


	4. Narcissa Malfoy: Trophy Wife

I wake the next morning with heavy dark green bed curtains above me, reminding me of my visits to Daphne's slytherin dorm. I stare at them for a few minutes in bewilderment. I don't have a bed like this at all.

Of course, this is the staff bedroom.

I sink back into the soft pillows happily, before the thought strikes me.

Why am I in a staff bedroom somewhere?

I screw up my face trying to remember. I feel hungover and drunk. Bits of yesterday are vivid while other parts are covered in dense fog. I'm not sure what's real, and what's a dream. I came on a portkey… yes… and I had a headache… a country lane…. leaving the office…

Oh Merlin… Oh please… no…

With a sickening woosh the entire nightmare is back upon me like a dementor. Daphne's Engagement. Helios' promotion to partner. The secretarial job. Quitting.

I lie still for a while letting it all sink in again. I have singlehandedly wrecked my career. I have no chance at reconciliation with my father after storming out of his office like that. I have no job. Without a job, there's nothing left other than to get married. My mother will never let me hear the end of it, and it will be party after party until I either find someone or they do it for me. My life is over as I know it.

I stumble out of bed feeling weak and spacey. I didn't have anything to eat yesterday and that pain powder wasn't good on an empty stomach.

This time yesterday I was flooing to the office, blissfully unaware of what was going to happen. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to escape the sickening thoughts invading my mind. If only I'd seen this coming earlier. If I had become a healer instead. If my charms scores were better so I could have gotten the internship. If I had a different family all together.

But there is no point in the what if's. Ignoring my head which still hurts a bit, I walk to the large window with a picturesque view of the gardens. What's happened has happened, and I have to deal with it. Staring out into the garden, I feel surreal. Until this moment, my life has been mapped out to the hour. If I didn't have to be at work, I had to be at some societal party or function for my mother, or I had to be at school, before that it was under the careful watch of the house elves. I always knew exactly where I was headed. And suddenly, it's like I escaped. Now I know how Sirius Black felt.

And now I'm in a strange room, in an unknown country. With my life in ruins.

Plus, there's something else. Something is nagging at me. The final ingredient that once added, causes a tremendous explosion. It'll come to me in a minute.

I lean my head against the cool pane of the window, and watch as an albino peacock traverses the green lawn. Maybe it's not as bad as I think. Maybe it's salvageable. Did I really call my father a bastard in front of his entire office? Did he actually say I had already been promised to Montressor, or that there had been talk of a negotiation? I'll have to owl Helios and find out. I take a deep breath and run my fingers through my tangled blond hair. Merlin, I flipped out yesterday. When I consider the way I acted, just portkeying out of the country, wandering the countryside. That was probably pretty dangerous. If it wasn't for Cissa and Lu being so understanding…

My train of thought stops abruptly. Cissa and Lu.

Something I'm not remembering… Something that's ringing alarm bells… I look around and see a black and white uniform lying out on the white chaise across the room. The bells are tolling louder, just like the late bell at Beauxbatons. It's all coming back to me like some sort of horrible drunken dream.

_Did I take a job as a muggle housekeeper?_

For a second, I feel like I've been petrified. Oh Merlin! What have I done?

My heart starts fluttering like a Cornish pixie, as I properly take in the situation for the first time. I'm staying at a strange muggle couple's house under completely false pretenses. I've slept in their bed. I'm wearing Cissa's bloody dressing gown. They even gave me a sodding toothbrush after I invented a story about having lost my trunk on the train. I TOLD THEM I WAS CORDON BLU TRAINED!

I'll have to tell them it was all lies.

There's a rapping on my door. "Tori? May I come in?"

"Oh! Um… yes!" I squeek, pulling the dressing gown tighter around me. The door opens and Cissa enters wearing a pale blue knee length day dress, much like my mother would wear with short robes this time of year. She's neat as a pin and smiling congenially.

"I've made you a cup of tea," she says. "Lord Lucius and I would like you to feel welcome in our home."

"Oh," I say sputtering into my tea. I didn't realize they were peers. "Thank you."

_Lady Cissa, I have to tell you something. I'm not really a housekeeper. _

But somehow the words are stuck in my throat. Lady Cissa's eyes narrow at me after a moment.

"Don't think I'll be bringing you tea every day, but considering your allergic… I mean… your illness last night…" she looks at the clock. "Now you'd better get dressed. We only have breakfast, and after we'll discuss the other meals of the day and your duties."

"Alright," I say after a pause. She leaves, and I put the tea down. Oh bloody fuck. What am I going to do? OK calm down. Prioritize. I need to owl Helios. Find out if it's safe to ever return home. With a bit of apprehension, I grab my bag and fumble for my wand to send out a call for my owl, Juno. It could be days before she gets here! I feel a bit of panic. If only I could find somewhere hooked up to the international floo network.

Suddenly I remember something from the other night. My mother gave me a house elf to "take care of me". "Dotty?" I call out tentatively. "Dotty?" A sudden pop comes sooner than I had expected and the slightly aged house elf dressed in bright green doll clothes appears.

"Mistress Astoria!" she says in a pitifully happy voice. "Everyone's been so worried!"

"I… I had to get away, you are not under any conditions to tell anyone where I am," I order sternly.

"Of course, Dotty promises."

"Thank you Dotty, I knew I could count on you."

"Mistress has gotten herself into quite the dilemma, if Dotty may say so. Master Greengrass is very upset, and Master Helios is in very much trouble for creating the portkey to Nowhere. Lord Montressor was very upset that the engagement party had to be postponed."

"Engagement Party?" I'm floored, so they were concrete plans. Those contracts are devilishly hard to get out of, I know, I write them up.

"Mistress, it's alright, do not cry."

"But… Ohh! I can't go back now! I need to write Helios, and Luna! Luna needs to hear about this!"

"Would you like Dotty to retrieve your owl from your apartment?"

"Yes, oh yes, please, and my things, some clothes, just a few personal items."

"Dotty will be back soon," she says with a big smile, that can only be appreciated by someone who was partially raised with house elves. Anyone else would consider such a grin demented.

"Oh, and my school trunk, with all my books. Please."

"Yes Mistress Astoria."

"Oh, and do not be seen by anyone in this house. They're muggles."

With a nod and a crack she's gone from sight. Slowly I sit back down on the bed. I have never felt so powerless in my life. I have a sudden vision of it all, like they planned. A giant wedding, five children, being practically locked in the house. I have to think positive. Helios is on my side.

Suddenly the uniform catches my eye.

How are they going to react when I tell them I'm a huge fraud? That I'm not a trained cordon bleu housekeeper at all? That I just needed a place to stay for the night?

I have a vision of them hexing me out of the house, but immediately disregard it. More likely they call the muggle police. Have me arrested. That could get nasty.

I mean, it's not like I have any other option. It's not like I could actually…

Sweet Merlin. Could I?

Looking down at the aged dressing gown I'm wearing and then at the uniform, I decide to put it on. I look into the mirror, and it vaguely reminds me of Hogwarts, minus the blue tie, robes, and well, it really looks nothing like a Hogwarts uniform except for the fact it's a uniform.

They've been pretty nice. They put me up for the night. It's not like I have any place to go. Unless I was to try and find Luna in Africa. Maybe it will take my mind off things, doing some light housework.

Abruptly I come to a decision.

Among muggles as a housekeeper is the absolute last place mum and dad will be looking for me. It can't be that hard if muggles can do it. I'll make their toast and dust the ornaments or whatever. If I need some help, I can always call on Dotty, and she can teach me how to do things right. Maybe I'll learn a charm or two. And they'll never have to know I was never a proper housekeeper.

I hurriedly comb through my hair and do two of the few charms I've mastered in my life, a plaiting charm and one that does my make up. I look at myself in the mirror, "Good Morning Lady Cissa, and how would you like the drawing room dusted today?"

OK. I'll be fine. I can be a house elf. Tucking my wand in my deep pocket, I head downstairs, ready to face everything.

In the entry hall, Lu and Cissa seem to be waiting for me. I've only ever been this self conscious at my coming out ball when I was seventeen. I'm a housekeeper and a muggle, I have to act like one.

"Good Morning Tori, I trust you slept well," says Lu stiffly.

"Good Morning Lord Lu, yes I did thank you," I reply demurely.

"That's good," he replies, rocking a bit on the balls of his feet self consciously. He seems just a little awkward and unsure. Underneath the expensive clothes, and arrogant holding, there seems just a hint of uncertainty about these people. As if I could explode any second, a bit like a dung bomb.

"We'll be in the dining room, if you could bring our breakfast in there within the half hour. Normally we prefer it served promptly at eight," says Cissa brightly.

"Of course," I say. "And you would like?"

"The normal, what you would serve the Greengrasses," she says haughtily. As if she knows my family. Honestly, my mother wouldn't consider these muggles fit to lick the floo powder from her stilettos. No matter how rich they are.

I head to where I remember the kitchen from last night. It's very large, and strongly reminds me of home with the large fireplace, perfect for informal floo calls, the many ovens, stoves, and there's even something that resembles the place where we put our cauldron to brew large potions. The only thing missing is about six house elves bustling about.

I soon find a loaf of bread and a knife, slicing it into even pieces, I stack them on a large plate. Turning on a burner, I get a pan and a few eggs. Cracking them open over an open flame, I let them start to cook. I can do this. Lighting my wand, I hold up a piece of bread and start to toast it on one side before turning it over. Looking over at the eggs, they don't look like they are cooking. Poking them with a fork that I find, they jiggle. Perhaps I should try a warming charm? They are cooking awfully slow. Suddenly I smell something burning. Looking at my toast, it's black and practically alight. SHITE!

Running to the sink I turn it on, watching steam come off the bread. I had best be careful I don't burn myself! Looking back to the egg, I see it too is burning, rushing back across the kitchen, I hurridly pick the pan up from the hot burner, yelping as I singe myself on the hot pan. Dropping the skillet, I stare at the angry red burn on my hand, I'm going to need to make some salve for that! I had better get Dotty to bring my potions kit from home… DOTTY!

"Dotty!" I call.

"Yes Mistress," she says popping into the kitchen like the savior she is.

"I need you to show me how to cook. I need to make breakfast for the people who I'm going to be a housekeeper for," I tell her quietly. "You can't be seen, and I can't be seen doing magic, but I need to learn. I know you taught Daphne, and I know I can learn. Please help me."

"Of course mistress, first let me vanish this mess, my you've made a mess of things already." I look at my soggy burnt attempt at toast and my charred sticky mess of eggs.

"Now, first, we turn on the burner, a simple warming charm at medium heat should do it."

"I can't do warming charms very well, they always end up too hot," I say.

"Don't try so hard, you make them too hot because you put too much magic into them. Just a bit, you want warmth, not scalding heat. Think of it like bath water, then adding drops of magic to increase the heat, just like drops of hotter water."

I wave my wand, putting the smallest bit of effort into the charm. The burner turns a firey red.

"A little less Mistress, think of taking away a bit of warm water, replacing it with cold." The heat seems to lessen, and she smiles and puts the clean skillet back on the burner. Now, some eggs, we'll make several. Levitating charm to hover the eggs above the pan, and severing charms to crack the eggs are best. No, use more of a slashing motion with your wand, yes, now summon the shells, ohh, not to your face, don't want a face full of egg. Try again, this time, picture the shells landing in your left hand. Yes, see, you're already getting the hang of it, now just two more and that should be enough." Dotty leads me through the rest of breakfast, making toast, dishing out butter, jam, stirring up some porridge, using a flipping charm to flip my eggs. I think I learned about eight charms, including a severing charm, a hovering charm, a warming charm, a summoning charm, a stirring charm, a flipping charm, and a healing charm for my burn. I swear, my Dotty is better than professor bloody Flitwick. She knows the incantations that wizards use, but she has hand motions she uses as an elf that are so much better than a complicated wand movement, and when used with a wand are just as effective. She also has a different way of visualizing charms that make it easier for me. Rather than having to worry about magical forces in every object, she simply tells me how to visualize it. I feel like I could actually get a D on a charms owl now. Maybe I should retake it someday. Just so Helios can't tease me about a Troll anymore. However, despite how much she teaches me, and how much I actually accomplish, she still does most of the work. All my failed charms and accidents are fixed with her help, and I'm fairly sure she's responsible for most of the food that actually ends up on the trays.

We're putting all of the dishes, eggs, sausage, toast, porridge onto a large platter, and Dotty is putting a weightless charm on it so I can carry it into the dining room when I hear footsteps in the hallway. I give a panicked look to the elf who disappears with a crack just as Cissa opens the door.

"Tori!" she says looking around frantically. I wonder if I've left the porridge pot stirring. "I thought I heard something? Is everything all right?" she looks as if she's expected someone to be in here other than me. She couldn't have heard us talking. I had Dotty cast a charm the prevents eavesdropping. "I thought I heard something… like a loud pop, just a second ago."

"Oh… err… I um…." She heard Dotty apparate out. "That was the er… fire." I quick cast a nonverbal incendio to the fireplace. "I think a log snapped."

"Oh," she says looking at the fireplace as if she hadn't realized it was lit. Which, to be honest, five seconds ago, it wasn't.

"I was just finishing things up. I'll have everything out in a minute. I'm sorry for the wait."

"Yes," she looks at my heavily laden tray with the many covered plates, all of which she doesn't need to know have warming charms on them to keep the food from becoming cold. "Well, if nothing is amiss, carry on then." I nod and smile as she leaves the room, hastily picking up my wand from where I dropped it on the floor after casting the non-verbal. Luckily there is a large counter island between the door and me, and she couldn't ask me what the mahogany stick on the floor was. Putting it in my pocket, I pick up the tray, and head down the hall.

"The food better not be cold," I hear Lu complaining. "I'm starving, and I honestly miss having decent breakfast. You do your best Cissy, but really, nothing compares. If it wasn't for that horrible Granger girl, we wouldn't have this problem. I swear, she's just as bad as her future father-in-law with her outlandish ideas."

"Lucius!" I hear his wife reprimand him. "That horrible Granger girl was part of what got you off last year. If it wasn't for her future brother-in-law, you would be rotting in prison right now. I'm still ashamed of you, and you have entirely shamed the family name. Be glad you're still here to eat breakfast, never mind how horrible it may be when I cook it. Hopefully this new girl can improve on my cooking, but really darling. The only reason we're hiring her is because I can't stand to do it any longer, and I have more important things to do rather than spending my time cooking and cleaning this monstrosity of a house. You will not ruin this for me."

Merlin's saggy left nut! Lu, who I thought seemed so nice, used to get off with their previous housekeeper! And Cissa doesn't seem to care other than the fact that he must have been very publically caught. Ohh, for a peer to be in bed with the maid. She probably leaked the story to the tabloids, or no, she tried to press charges. He barely missed prison! Is it safe for me to stay here? Well, I do have a wand, and know my defense spells much better than any charm. And, besides, he must be reformed. And his wife seems quite threatening. But they seemed so in love last night? How could he have an affair with some young girl when his wife seems so perfect? How could she still look at him so adoringly?

I decide to stow this information for later, and to be a little cautious with Lord Lucius. I'll be sure to keep my wand on me at all times. I march confidently into the room and set the tray on the side board before taking off each of the covered plates and bowls. I place the platters in the middle of the table and place plates and silverware in front of Lu and Cissa with the precision of someone who has had things set in front of them their entire lives. Pouring cups of tea and glasses or orange juice, I set them down before whipping off the covers on my dishes and placing them back on the tray.

"Breakfast is served," I say after completing all of this with a quiet, speedy efficiency.

"Marvelous!" exclaims Lu with a gleeful look at me. "I've totally changed my mind about mug… mugs of tea. I much prefer these… teacups." Cissa looks ready to murder him for his absurd comment. I nod and give a quick curtsey. Oh Merlin, did I just curtsey? To a bloody MUGGLE! Not that I'm caught up in all that blood rubbish, but really. I'm better than that. I'm fucking Lady Astoria Theia Greengrass! Daughter of Theia Knott and Hyperion Greengrass.

_Review Please! It means a lot! Thanks! Elaine A._


	5. Dotty Greengrass: House Elf

I return to the kitchen to find Dotty ready to educate me in cleaning charms, and more cooking skills. I have so much to learn and so little time before lunch. I'm not yet sure if I want to laugh or cry, but this charade is going to be quite the learning experience if I want this to work at all. I'm entirely hopeless. Within the next two hours, a wave of my hand and a muttered charm can clean any surface, and a snap of my fingers, start a fire or a burner. A flick of my fingers can throw something into a levitation. I don't think I've ever been so happy with myself in my life. That is, until Cissa walks in and asks me when I'm going to have the downstairs dusted and informs me to have lunch ready at one fifteen sharp. Afternoon tea of course will be at three thirty, and she's expecting scones. Bloody hell. Eggs for breakfast was an accomplishment. Thank MERLIN I have Dotty.

Dotty helps me make a light lunch which I serve right on time. And by saying she helped me, I really mean she did it, and I carried it into the other room after my many failed attempts to do things correctly. We cook up a batch of cookies, delicate delicious ones like my mum likes to serve when she has her lady friends over for a gossip. Finally after serving tea, I'm entirely worn out from running around trying to clean things, my many frustrating attempts to use cooking and cleaning charms, and my inability to be a proper servant. I decide to retreat to my room to get settled, Dotty had told me she had brought my old school trunk with my things in it. Utterly tired and knowing I'll need to start dinner soon in order for it to be ready by six, I hurry up the stairs to my room.

Walking into the room, I untie my apron and throw it onto the chaise and fall into one of the small armchairs and stare at the ceiling for a good minute. Bringing my eyes down to look around me, I gasp with surprise. A small tea tray has been set up and is sitting on the small table in front of me. Dotty is the most thoughtful elf ever! She even got me a copy of the newspaper from back home. I pour myself a cup of tea, dumping in more sugar than is technically polite, and grab one of the raspberry scones. This is almost perfect. I open the paper and glance at the headlines until one in the gossip section catches my eye. GREENGRASS CALLS IN AURORS.

Oh Merlin, I've been classified as a missing person! Scanning through the article, apparently, "Pureblood heiress Lady Astoria Theia Greengrass went missing yesterday after taking a nonregistered portkey created by her brother Lord Helios moments before. Even Lord Helios isn't sure where the portkey took her, and although she had her wand, she could be lost and in trouble. While portkey splinchings are rare, it is possible the worst could have befallen Lady Astoria, as she hasn't been heard from since yesterday morning. Lady Astoria was recently engaged to Michelangelo Montressor who has not yet commented on her strange disappearance. Rumor has it that Lady Greengrass was not pleased with the engagement and wished to dissipate the agreement between him and her parents. Rumor has it, that the Greengrass family would have received 50 million galleons as part of the prenuptial contract, and if the marriage doesn't take place in the next year, it is nulled and voided. It is unclear at this time if the engagement will stand, or if her mysterious disappearance will call it off. Meanwhile, the Greengrass family searches for her and prepares for the wedding of their oldest daughter, Lady Daphne to Antares La'Blanc."

Staring down at the picture of myself in the paper, I wince. It really does nothing for me. Taken a few weeks ago, there are large dark circles under my eyes, my hair is dull and pulled back severely. My eyes look dead, and I'm even paler than normal. My clothes look drab and too big for my frame. Even my smile looks fake, and it probably was. It almost looks like a muggle picture as I'm barely moving.

Frowning, I set the paper down and go take a look in the mirror at the vanity table on the other side of the room. My hair _does_ look drab, even for me. It's always been pale and blond, but it isn't even shiny or sleek looking. It just looks dry and tired. So do my pale eyes. Where _was_ my life headed before? Is this who I _want_ to be? Shaking my head, I make a decision. I'm staying. Besides, I'm not going back to be talked into a marriage with Montressor! Inevitably, I would end up doing my proper duty as a pureblood daughter, and somehow, I can't bring myself to do it. And if I don't go back, they won't be able to convince me to do the right thing. I'll figure out what I'm doing, but until then, I'll stay here. Not only will that rid me of the problem with Michelangelo, but maybe I'll figure out what I want, and get a bit of bounce back into my step.

I spend the next hour unpacking my things, setting up my many books on the bookshelves, placing all the muggle clothes I own into the wardrobe. As it gets closer to five, I hear Dotty pop back into my room.

"Mistress," she says looking around and seeing that I obviously intend to stay here. "I has started dinner, and you should be downstairs looking like you is cooking. I also found you this book here to teach you every charm you will need to know for cooking and cleaning. Mrs. Weasley knows what she is talking about Dotty thinks. This other book has all of the Greengrass family house elf recipies written down by Dotty's own grandmother."

"Wonderful! I'll start practicing today. Let's go down and finish dinner then?" I say hopefully. "What are we making for dinner?"

I serve the meal promptly at six, stuffed mushroom appetizers, roast duck with a rich berry sauce, a side of steamed vegetables that I soaked in a buttery sauce, and a basket of warm homemade rolls. Dessert is a delicious pumpkin cheesecake. Cissa and Lu raved on and on about it. I think Dotty and I impressed them. And, to be honest, I did the vegetables entirely by myself, even the cleaning charms to wash them. I'm starting to get things quicker. This swish and flick is getting a little better.

As I clear away the dessert plates in a quiet unobtrusive manner, Cissa stops me. "Tori, we're planning a dinner party tomorrow, so if you could plan a menu with three or four courses, that would be wonderful. We have plenty of wines to choose from in the cellar. I just can't wait to show you off. It will only be a few close friends- my sister, her grandson, and my good friend Lady Violet. I'm quite sad my good friend Lady Greengrass can't come, but she's committed to staying in France right now. I've been meaning to write her about the miracle of acquiring her from your staff. It's a miracle she let you go!"

I wish I had never mentioned the name Greengrass. Honestly, if I have to listen to this lady pretend like she knows my mother, or perhaps someone she thinks is married to Helios, one more time… In any case, I nod and tell her I'll compile a menu and that her party will be divine.

That night I stay up late studying the charms book, practicing the charms in the book, and looking over the recipes compiling a menu. It's nearly midnight, and I am reading by the light of my wand when I hear the distinctive pop of someone apparating nearby. I get up and looked around for Dotty, but she isn't there. Shrugging it off, I decide to go to bed early. My first day was long, and I hadn't planned on staying, but perhaps this isn't such a bad idea until I figure out what I want to do.

The next morning, I wake up bright and early, a bit excited to work. I haven't felt like this since back when I first started my job at the firm. I am looking forward to getting something done, accomplishing something new. I dress quickly and head downstairs. I bring my charms book and my recipe book, deciding to try to make a few types of omelets and toast. I set the kettle on to start their tea, and pour some orange juice into a pitcher with a cooling charm that I feel proud for finally having mastered. No more sweaty afternoons for me. The four types of omelets I make seem to turn out well, one which has lots of spicy vegetables, and another with multiple types of cheeses, one with a few cheeses, some ham and bacon, and another with sausage and peppers. Cutting up some fruit and mixing it in with some yogurt, I feel like it's a well rounded meal and put all of it on the trays to bring out to the dining room just as the clock is starting to chime eight times.

"Right on time, Tori," says Cissa with a small smile as I walk into the bright dining room. Lu is reading the paper pretending he hasn't noticed I've come in with food, but I can tell he's very interested in what I'm carrying.

"I made toast, several types of omelets, and a fruit yogurt parfait with granola on top. I brought some orange juice and some hot tea," I say setting it within reach of the couple. "Enjoy," I say with a curtsy before once again mentally slapping myself. I gage their reaction, which is very good and feel a surge of pride that I managed without Dotty this morning. I can do this. But I'm sure I'll be needing her help this afternoon, especially with the dinner party.

After I finish dusting, the one cleaning charm I've mastered so far, I decide to learn how to wash the windows, which seems like it should be easy enough. However, it takes me about an hour and a half to master the spell. However, I discover it also works on mirrors, and the glass covering picture frames. Walking room to room, I flick my wand at all mirrors, and glass surfaces happily watching as they sparkle. This is starting to look like a proper household. By noon, I've managed all the floors, and head back to the kitchen to prepare something for lunch.

Deciding to make a grilled chicken atop leafy greens amid fresh strawberries with a strawberry vinaigrette dressing, I soon find myself in over my head and call for Dotty.

"Mistress Astoria!" she says, obviously happy to be called upon. "You have done so well today. I checked up on you for breakfast and your cleaning. You did an excellent job, but do not forget that the bathrooms is needing to be cleaned too. Also, the beds is needing to be made, and tomorrow is laundry day. Be sure to check up on laundry tonight."

"Oh yes," I say remembering that tomorrow was wash day. "I was hoping for some help with the chicken, and how it is supposed to look, and then maybe you could teach me a few toilet cleaning spells?"

"Yes, but Dotty has discovered exactly where Mistress is," replied the elf. "Mistress is in England, and the house elves are on strike until all house elves gain fair rights in regard to treatment, work conditions, and work load. Until all demands are made, no elves is to be working. I would be labeled an elf traitor if I's to stay here and serve you here since this is not France."

"Oh, goodness, I heard mum and Daphne talking about the hassle. Apparently a few families are being difficult in meeting the demands. Do you feel well treated Dotty?" I asked concerned.

"Mistress is the best mistress in the world. Dotty loves her uniform, and her cottage in the woods, and her days off. Dotty enjoys eating whatever she likes, and knows Mistress would never ask her to do something she did not already wish to do for Mistress," said Dotty with a happy look at me. I had simply followed my mother's tradition of allowing her house elves little miniature cottages on the edge of Greengrass property and providing them with ready made clothes that were not designed to fire the elf but to clothe them.

"Good, in the meantime, could you help me this one last time before you leave. You can keep my apartment tidy, and if I need something delivered here, send it by owl from France."

"Yes, now, about your chicken, it needs a bit of spice in the pan to give it some flavor."

A few hours later, I sit in the drawing room, a room I had noticed was always empty, reading up on cooking charms I would be using to prepare the dinner party for tonight. I already made the beds and cleaned the bathrooms, polished the silver, and washed the marble floors in the entry hall. I am intently reading about how to properly prepare the apricot glaze for the foi de gras that I am planning to make when I feel someone in the room with me. Laying flat on my back with my head hanging over the side of the sofa and reading upside down, I feel the prickling sensation that someone is watching me. Raising the book, I peer out from under it, glancing around. Sniffing the air, it smells rather like dragon fertilizer, but glancing around, I don't see anyone. Returning to my book, I try to resume concentration, but it's hard to ignore that skin crawling sensation or the persistent smell of a herbology class.

Looking out from behind the book again, I notice a set of dirty footprints across the pristine carpet. Following the trail, my eyes land on a pair of dirt covered boots. Boots attached to a long pair of legs stretched out in front of the chair where-

Startled to see someone entered the room without me giving the slightest bit of notice, I spazz out and fall off the couch, landing with a painful thud on the floor. I groan, blushing, and closing my eyes before disentangling my limbs and straightening my uniform which had ridden up inappropriately as I lay carelessly on the sofa. Picking myself up with what was left of my dignity, I turn my attention to the stranger who had invaded my privacy.

Slouching slightly in the high backed arm chair, propping his chin up with a muscled arm which in turn rested on the arm of the chair is a god. His golden blond hair is obviously lightened from time in the sun and also looks a bit messy as if windblown. Bright silver eyes peer out at me from a well tanned face that sports a smirk and a raised eyebrow. The smirk is what set me on the defensive.

"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" I demand with all the authority of a pureblood lady.

"I think the real question is who are you to be making such demands, and what you are supposed to be doing rather than reading trashy romance novels?" the horribly handsome blond retorts with just as much arrogance in his tone.

"I'm the housekeeper, and I'm actually going over tonight's menu in my cookbook. You on the other hand, clearly do not belong here, messing up my clean rooms with your smelly boots tracking in dirt," I announce, putting my hands on my hips and standing a bit straighter. "What is your business being here? I can have you removed you know."

_Please Review! I hope you enjoyed it and love hearing from you. Thanks- Elaine A._


	6. Drake Mug: Gardener and Groundskeeper

Draco Abraxas Malfoy sized up the girl in front of him. Short in stature at perhaps five foot three and thin as a reed, she wasn't exactly a commanding presence. But something about how she held herself made her look like a force to be reckoned with. Her sleek golden hair that she had tucked into bun looked as if it was long when released from its prim confining style. Her complexion was almost transparent in its paleness as to look sickly, and there was bruising under her eyes from fatigue, but that was barely noticeable due to the bruises' proximity to her actual eyes. Currently narrowed suspiciously, the wide, almond shaped orbs were rimmed with the longest black lashes. Even more startling was their color, celadon, and brilliantly so- the way they were flashing at him in an accusatory manner. He was more than intrigued at this turn of events.

"I just got in from the garden for a bit of a break. Sorry for tracking in this mud and dirt. It's usually cool and quiet in here, a nice place to rest a while," he replied, uncharacteristically deciding to apologize for the dirt.

"Yes, well, I'm sorry for being so rude, your presence surprised me," I reply, deciding I had best apologize to my new coworker after having such a bad start. Sticking out my hand I manage a small friendly look but not quite a smile. "Tori Green," I improvise, introducing myself and deciding to drop the illustrious –grass. Green sounds muggle enough.

"Drake," he says holding out his large calloused hand and taking my small pale one in it. I feel a rush run through my body and a blush rise to my cheeks at his touch, and he smiles at me, revealing a neat row of perfect white teeth. Unconsciously, I find myself smiling back as he raises my hand to his lips in truly well bred fashion. As his lips touch my skin, I feel a small shiver run up my spine. I have never been so bloody attracted to a man in my life. A muggle no less. His silver eyes feel like they are burning into me, and I can't help but feel a bit light headed. "Drake Mug." His voice is deep, rich, and every word sounds beautiful.

I'm flushing all over at this point. I am finding myself entirely incapable of coherent thought around this man. Merlin, I have to get out of here. "I have to um, prepare the menu, for the er, dinner party," I hear myself say, my voice sounding abnormally high and a bit more like Daphne's than usual. Hastily, I turn and flee the room. I don't walk out stately, I don't briskly walk toward the door, no. I trip over the sofa, shuffle around it awkwardly, and then literally run from the room, banging my elbow loudly and painfully on the door frame on the way out. How mortifying!

I'm busy preparing my dinner party menu when I hear someone coming down the hall. Stashing my wand and grabbing the self stirring wooden spoon, I try to appear as if I know what I'm doing and not reading right out of the book in front of me. It's Cissa, and she's followed in by a dark haired friend with a pug nose and a pinched look about her as she looks at me intently.

"I'm Lady Violet," she announces. "How do you do?"

"Violet is here for the dinner party and she heard about your foie de gras. She wanted to see how things were going," explains Cissa.

"Very impressive," says Violet, still observing me with interest.

"She can cook anything!" Cissa tells her friend with pride. "She worked for the Greengrasses," she says with a look.

"So, how exactly will you be glazing the foie de gras, Tori?" askes Violet coming closer, obviously fascinated. You would think she had never seen anyone cook before.

"Um, the usual way…" I say trying to look discretely at my cook book from Dotty. If I was flipped to the right page… and if it wasn't all spells… "Um, first I'll um, extract the essence of the… um flavor of the apricots, and um then I'm going to, um the glaze obviously means it's of a transparent nature, and then I'll marinate the gras, de foie, and saturate with heat to steam press, the flavor into the… de er gras." I say making no sense whatsoever. However, both ladies seem to have bought it entirely. In fact, they seem impressed.

"Where on earth did you find her!" asks Violet softly to Cissa in an amazed tone. "My girl is hopeless. Can't cook and doesn't understand a word I say."

They both look at me like I'm from another planet or a talking squirrel. Quite the way a pureblood would look at a muggle. I can't bear it anymore.

"Shall I bring the hors d'oeuvres out into the parlor with some drinks?" I ask desperately.

"Excellent idea, Andy will be here soon with Tedders," says Cissa with a smile. There's an expectant pause where neither of them turn to leave. Suddenly, I realize what they're waiting for. I prickle all over with embarrassment. Why did I curtsy?

"Very good," I say dipping slightly in a practiced bob. I swear if my mother hadn't trained me to curtsy to her and her pureblood friends when I was younger I never would have thought to curtsy to Cissa who strongly reminds me of my mother. This is _positively_ my mother's fault.

As the two women leave, I can hear Violet saying "She really curtseys?"

"And, she worked for the Greengrasses," I hear as they walk farther away.

"I thought they had house…"

I quickly snap into action, putting a variety of small finger foods on a silver tray and grabbing a bottle of sherry and some glasses. A quick spell to prevent everything from falling over, one for lightening my load, and I'm ready to go.

At seven o'clock I'm still cooking. Or I'm trying to. Both ovens are roaring with heat, and pots are bubbling on the hob. I've burnt my hand three times, and just escaped a horrible scalding when my first attempt at apricot glaze exploded after a spell gone wrong. Several things are self stirring, and a set of knives is chopping up almonds for the dessert. I've served the salad course- a fresh greens salad with raspberries and almonds and a creamy raspberry vinaigrette dressing , the appetizer of artichoke hearts and stuffed mushrooms, and I probably should have served the main course a few minutes ago, but the foie de gras with bloody apricot glaze does not want to work. The sauce exploded once, was accidentally vanished once, and this third time better be a charm. Literally. Pulling the roast out of the oven, it looks good, so I cast a warming charm on the plates and start dolling out portions. Adding the apricot glaze on top of this along with the creamy raspberry vinaigrette was a great way to tie the courses together. I'm hoping they think it tastes as great as I think it does. Finishing the foie de gras, I put it on the plate along with the steamed beans. Placing the charmed plates on my serving platter, I rush down the hall, sweating like a pig from the heat of the kitchen.

Seated at the dining table, chatting and sipping their wine with their guests, Lu and Cissa seem pleased with the appetizer and don't seem upset at how long it took between courses. I serve Violet first, followed by Lu and Cisssa. I serve Cissa's sister last. She looks nothing like Cissa at first glance with chestnut curls and dark heavily lidded eyes. However, their delicate features are similar, and both are obviously very beautiful despite Andy being an obvious grandmother. Shite!

"I'm very sorry, I prepared something a bit different for your grandson as he didn't seem too interested in the first two courses or the hors d'oeuvres. I'll be right back," I say flushing. The small brown haired boy barely looks old enough to be drinking out of a cup, and I'm certain he won't be able to eat lamb or foie de gras. I made him some macaroni and cheese with some steamed broccoli and a bit of sliced chicken left over from lunch. I thought that he would like all of it, and most of it could be eaten like finger food. Rushing back in, I set the plate in front of the small boy with a smile.

"I'm sorry, Teddy," I say addressing him as I had heard his family call him. "I thought you might like this better." The little blond boy gave me a giant smile, and for some reason I feel like he looks like an entirely different kid than the one who I watched sullenly sit through the other courses. His light green eyes glowing with happiness.

"Wow!" he says looking at the plate excitedly. Just as I expected, he reaches out and picks up some chicken with his hands before bringing it to his mouth and taking a bite. I smile and notice that Cissa and Andy are smiling at me.

"Thank you for bringing him something else. How thoughtful," says Andy in a dignified manner. "As much as I think what you have served us is delightful, I'm not sure he would appreciate it. This sauce is amazing, don't you agree Cissa?"

"Yes, this entire meal has been delicious, I can't wait to see what you've prepared for dessert," agrees Cissa. I flush with pleasure. I managed this entire meal by myself, and they actually like it.

"So much better than what you've been preparing lately Cissa," adds Lu, earning a glare from his wife and a laugh from both Violet and Andy.

"It's too bad Pansy decided to go to the concert instead of coming tonight. She would have loved this," says Violet.

"Well, my son decided not to grace us with his presence tonight, anyway," scowled Lu. "He's been very aloof lately. He went to the match with Gregory Junior."

I take my leave and exit the room, still glowing with happiness. Then I remember I still have to finish my dessert! I'm making chocolate almond biscotti dipped in mint chocolate. I'm serving it with coffee and tea, and some hot chocolate for Teddy, all of them with a hint of mint.

Everything is running smoothly, the cookies don't burn. They taste delicious, I tried one. However, I'm trying to melt the chocolate and add the Crème de Menthe, but it won't melt right. It keeps burning before I get it to the right consistency. After my third pan of burnt chocolate, I'm getting annoyed when a bit of chocolate bubbles up and lands on my hand, burning one of my burns. A pent up rage is bubbling up inside me- rage at myself, at my defective chocolate, at my magic, at food…. And most of all this Merlin-damned situation.

I give out a frustrated screech and hear pottery shattering in a burst of uncontrolled magic. A small tear runs down my face as another plate explodes loudly after sailing across the room.

"What the hell!" a male voice exclaims in surprise.

The next minute the door outside from the kitchen opens, and Drake is standing there, looking entirely fit in a bright orange shirt with the last of the evening's sunlight making his blond hair and orange shirt look like he's afire. "Is everything okay?"

"It's fine," I say, rattled. "Everything is fine. Thank you. Thank you so much." I make a dismissive motion with my hand but he makes no move to leave.

"I heard you were cooking a gourmet dinner tonight," he says slowly looking around the kitchen. I've got pans of crusty sauce, burnt clumpy chocolate, foie de gras covered in glaze that's spilled on the floor and stuck to it, a bunch of half stuffed torn up mushrooms, and a tray of burnt cookies.

"Yes, that's right. I'm just in the… um… process of…" I glance down at the hob, and give an involuntary scream. "MERDE! LA CHOCOLATE!"

I don't know what's happened, brown bubbles are expanding out of my chocolate saucepan, all over the pan and down the sides onto the stove, totally burning.

"Get it off the heat, for fuck's sake!" exclaims Drake. He snatches up the pan and moves it. "This looks like a disaster area! It's a miracle if you managed anything edible!"

"Well I did! And they loved it!" I shout sharply as I get a new pan and start melting the chocolate again. I'm done talking to him. Besides -fourth time's the charm. I stir it with my spoon and am suddenly thankful he didn't appear earlier when my wand was out and whipping things into action. Drake seems to be looking around at the mess and while I ignore him. When I finally look up at him, he's found what I managed to serve and has created a plate for himself and is chowing down.

"This _is_ actually good. Better than what my mum tries to make," he says with a beatific smile at me.

"Well thank you," I say, deciding that I simply have to forgive him with a smile like that. Luck must be with me, because my chocolate is looking perfect and I add the mint flavoring, give a few stirs and then dip the biscotti in it. Perfect, I put them on the plates and then grab the pots of coffee, tea, and chocolate and the mugs. However, I realize that I won't be able to perform a weightless charm with Drake in the room. Bloody hell. I try to pick up the tray, but it's much too heavy, and Drake sees that.

"Let me help you with that," he says, lifting it up and carrying it to the door with his tanned arm muscles bulging against the orange color of his shirt. I help him with the door and give him a grateful smile as he carries it to the dining room for me. He sets it on the table just outside the door and motions for me to bring it into the room one pot at a time and serve it.

I lift the tea pot and the coffee pot, taking them into the room with me. A minute or so later, I come back out and get the biscotti plates and the hot chocolate for Teddy. I return again to find Drake still in the hall with the empty tray tucked under his arm. "Back to the kitchen?" he asks. I nod, dreading the fact that I have to clean up the giant mess. It's worse than a first year potions classroom.

"That was delicious," says Drake interrupting my thoughts.

"Oh," I blush. "Thank you," I say as we reenter the kitchen. It's a total disaster area. I give a giant sigh and grab a biscotti off the tray, munching on it as I survey the mess. I'll be able to use magic once Drake leaves. However, he looks like he's in no hurry to leave. "I need to clear up the kitchen a bit," I tell him grabbing several pots and dumping them unceremoniously in the sink and turn on the tap.

"I'll help," he says, surprising me.

Companionably, we dump out all the ruined food, begin scrubbing surfaces, and mopping up the floor.

"How long have you worked here?" I ask as he rinses out a rag in the sink. He gives me a confused look before grinning.

"Since I was old enough to work in the garden," he says with a small smile.

"So you must live nearby," I say raising an eyebrow.

"You might say that," he says vaguely. "Except when I was off at school in Scotland."

"Oh, I didn't know…" I was about to say I didn't know that gardening required advanced schooling. I open my mouth to ask him where, but then I realize he'll say some muggle place I should probably know, and I don't really want to get into that. More lies.

"So what about you? I heard you studied under some fancy pants chef and worked for some pure-stuck up snobs in France?" he asks scrubbing a pan tirelessly.

"Um, yeah, well, I went to France for the second half of my schooling when my family moved there during the w-winter." I find myself watching what I'm saying. I feel like Drake is an old friend I could tell anything. "Then I er, lived at Greengrass Manor in France for a few years and um worked for Lord Greengrass." Which is true, I lived at home for a few years, and I worked for my father. All of its true. "But, why do you like gardening?" I say deflecting the conversation from myself. Suddenly I'm hearing about a childhood spent in the garden with his mother, cultivating plants since they were tiny seedlings, rare ones he has grown here, he says he's been experimentally breeding them for years, and trying to discover medicinal properties they may have. He's talking about how he wants to get a job that allows him to work in medicinal chemistry in a hospital or research setting, but he's waiting to apply when the political climate is right. He says he trained to be a doctor and dreamed of working in medicinal development, but he was rejected at every place he applied. We end up talking for a good two hours while we clean the kitchen. After, as if to prolong our evening, we collect the last of the mint hot chocolate from the dining room and drink that together with the leftover cookies. I even end up telling him about my perfect sister, and my mother who is constantly nagging me to be more like Daph. He replies how he loved being an only child, but also wishes he had siblings for company as it was lonely. I confess I have a twin brother, and he's entirely jealous. I tell him about the time that Leo put a giant spider in my bed. I just don't mention it was a baby acromacula, or that I nearly died after it bit me.

When I finally go to bed, I can't help but think how handsome and sweet and funny Drake is. He's told me about his school years where he thought he was top notch but got taken down a few by these three "enemies". However, his life hasn't been without tragedy, he tells me of his best friend Vincent dying in a horrible fire, which would have killed him also if it hadn't been for one of his "enemies". He tells of his days on the interschool team where he was the star player but got beat soundly by his enemy's team. He now considers his ex-enemies to be some of the greatest people he's ever known. He told me he wishes he had had the courage to be more like them. He briefly told me of a particularly difficult year where he decided to join a gang- whatever that is- I got the impression it was like the Death Eaters. Anyways, to be initiated fully, he had to kill someone. He tells me how he couldn't do it, and ended up nearly ruining his life trying to get out of the gang. He explained how he's still running from his past, having had difficulty finding a job when employers know about his criminal history. Apparently he barely avoided prison. However, despite knowing these seemingly frightening things about his past, I can't help but rather liking the man.

_Please Review! I hope you enjoyed it! I really love any constructive critique and to hear what you thought. Thanks! Elaine A._


	7. Astoria Greengrass: Housekeeper

_I know you are all loving that I'm on summer break too! Please Read, Review and Enjoy! _

The next morning, I'm up bright and early, ready to start my day. To my horror, Cissa has left a good three feet of parchment delineating my duties. _Make` beds, sweep and clean porch, arrange flowers, polish all mirrors, tidy store cupboards, laundry, clean bathrooms daily, ironing. _Etc. I'm magically whipping up breakfast and reading this all when I hear someone coming. Stashing my wand after a quick swish to stop my current charms, I pretend I'm a muggle as Drake walks into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Tori," he says with a wide grin. "You know, you don't seem like a Tori."

A bit offended, I give him a cursory glance before telling him, "_You_ don't look much like a Drake."

"Hmm, but this breakfast definitely looks delicious, mind if I steal a bit of toast for myself, you seem to have made quite a bit." I look at the stack of toast that I hadn't been paying attention to. I guess when you cast the spell and just let it go on its own, it makes an infinite amount. I probably should have cast the counter charm five minutes ago.

"I got a bit carried away," I say as I stir the porridge.

"Well," he said with a flirtatious smirk. "If I was in your beautiful presence all the time, I might get a bit carried away too. You look especially nice this morning." I find myself blushing in pleasure at the compliment. I pulled my hair into a loose pony tail rather than the customary bun that I normally wear. I had almost forgotten how long my hair was.

"Well you sir, are distracting me, so off to the garden with you," I say, wagging my spoon at him as he grabs some sliced fruit, of which I also have an overabundance.

Running the breakfast tray into the dining room just as the clock is striking eight, I happily set it down in front of Lu and Cissa who are looking quite cozy. She's sitting on his lap, and they have the paper open in front of them. He has it half open on the left reading the business and world news while from all the pictures she seems to be reading the society section. It's a bit endearing, and I wonder what really happened with their last housekeeper.

I'm just on my way out the door when Lu calls me back. "Miss Green," he says looking friendlier than usual. "I took the liberty of drawing up a contract last night for your services as our housekeeper, if you would like to look it over and sign it this morning? Cissa is dreadfully afraid that her friend Lady Violet is going to snatch you up after last night's dinner party success."

"LU!" exclaims Cissa. "Whatever they offer, we'll double!" she tells me seriously.

"That won't be necessary," I say. "I'm getting used to things here, and feel I could grow quite content here." Especially if I see Drake around more often. I pick up the parchment on the table and quickly scan the contents. Everything seems to be in excellent order despite the slightly smeared handwriting in some places, a very nice little piece of work if I say so. And I'm a contract lawyer. I wonder who he called in to do this, before realizing I wouldn't know them.

Flicking my eyes over the weekly salary and converting pounds to galleons, I figure it's just about what I made in an hour at the firm. If one thing can be said, my father didn't skimp on pay, not that I don't have a tidy little trust fund.

"It seems extremely generous," I say. "Does it really say I have the weekends free except on special occasions?" My mind just can't wrap around the idea, and I have to ask even at the risk of sound like an idiot.

"Of course, dearie, we aren't slave drivers! Even our house…. Old staff, had the weekends traded on and off between them. We can't expect you to work every weekend, and I can manage a few meals a week," says Cissa with a happy smile. She's obviously pleased I want to stay. She just doesn't realize how desperate I am to avoid my mother and that outstanding engagement contract with Montressor.

"Do you have anything for me to sign with?" I ask Lu.

"Let me give you some advice: be sure to read all legal documents very carefully," he says. I bite back a retort, but know he means well and doesn't realize the hilarity of his statement. I nod.

"I'll keep that in mind, but I've pretty much read through it, and everything seems to be in order. I have no qualms about signing now."

"Oh good!" beams Cissa. "I'm so pleased!"

Lu hands me a quill, and thinking nothing of it, I poise the tip over the line where I am to sign. As I write my name, I take a risk and sign my full name, not what I've been calling myself- just in case someone ever tries to get me for fraud or misrepresentation. I'm going with the assumption that Lu will not notice considering he'll probably just file this thing away.

As I write Astoria Theia Greengrass on the line, I have a fleeting blip of incredibility. I'm actually doing this. Taking a job miles from home, away from not only my family, but the wizarding world itself, and no one knows what I'm doing. I have a sudden flash of my mother's face, the expression on her face if she knew I was going to become a MUGGLE FAMILY'S _housekeeper_! If she could see me in the uniform acting like a regular house elf. She would die of mortification. I'm seriously tempted to owl her and tell her just what I'm doing. I might include a picture. But I don't have time right now, I'm going to do the laundry.

And it's not really that hard, as long as I don't bother trying to figure out how to use the muggle machine in the little room off the kitchen. Really, muggles are ridiculously complicated, no wonder Cissa wanted a maid. That thing must take hours to work. Dotty was right about that Mrs. Weasley's book. Next time I see the woman, I'm going to walk right up to her and give her a giant hug and a smack on the cheek. I think I love her. She deserves an Order of Merlin… First Class!

I'm really getting the hang of things, and after I finish the laundry, I whip up an easy lunch and deliver it to Cissa and Lu who have decided to dine in Lu's study. Cissa is planning some sort of function, and Lu must run some sort of business from the home.

"He needs to settle down, get married, start a family," Cissa is saying.

"He's only 22, let the boy live," replies Lu, glancing at the window. "Besides, Violet's daughter is a troll. I'm glad he dropped her, and I haven't seen anyone catch his eye since."

"But I want grandbabies," Cissa pouts before thanking me for the soup and sandwiches. "He needs to get out of the house and do something. He needs to make some new friends and interact with people besides Blaise and Greg."

"I think he's been hanging around even more with that Longbottom boy," says Lu, nodding to me as I pour his drink. "For all they didn't get along in school, I think the poor boy thought the worst with the first letter. Didn't respond too nicely, but then again, it was probably deserved."

"Well good, if they're becoming good friends, then I'm sure he'll come to the midsummer ball I'm planning. Augusta was good friends with my uncle Alphard I think." Lu meets my gaze and rolled his eyes, but looks at his wife fondly as I leave the room.

The rest of my day is rather dull. Making beds, dusting again… such a large house, so much dust… putting the clean laundry upstairs. Cissa told me not to try to put it away, so I fold it all and leave it on her dressing table. And for supper, I make a wonderful fried chicken with some sides and a chocolate cake for dessert. Lu has three pieces.

I am just putting the cake away in the muggle cold box thingy when Drake comes inside, carrying his familiar masculine smell mixed with dirt, and the outdoors. "Is that for me?" he says with a grin.

"I might be persuaded to serve you up a slice," I reply flirtatiously.

"Name your price madame," he laughs.

"I was wondering if you could take me into town on Saturday or Sunday," I say hopefully. From there I can apparate to London. I really need to go to Diagon Alley and get some things, such as some money, and possibly send my parents an owl, just not one they'll recognize. Also, some potions ingredients for some cleaning potions I'd like to try. Apparently they really improve the quality of your cleaning charms, and I am too timid to try any of the muggle products Cissa has provided. Maybe I can floo my brother from the Leaky.

"I happen to own a car, and am the recent holder of a license!" he says with a grin. "I'd be happy to take you out, in fact, you didn't even have to bribe me with cake."

"Great! I have several things I need to get in town. I'll start my list tomorrow!"

"This cake is fantastic," he says between bites. "I'll drive you into Trowbridge Saturday morning and hopefully you can find everything. When you're done shopping, may I take you out to dinner?" I blush all over, cursing my pale complexion. Is this handsome man really asking me on a date? My first date since I graduated?

"I might not be doing anything else that evening," I say coyly.

"I'm sure I could talk your boss into giving you the evening off," he laughs. "Say yes… you know you can't resist me." He gives me a sexy smirk, and I'm lost. The game is up.

"I have missed hearty English pub fare in France these past few years," I say downplaying my enthusiasm. "I'd love to go to dinner with you."

"I can't wait," he says breaking out into a heart stopping smile. And suddenly, he's leaning across the island and his lips are on mine in the most perfect first kiss ever, and I can't even think. Never has a kiss felt like this before, and I kissed my fair share of boys at all those lovely Pureblood Functions and at school. Before I can fully enjoy the taste of his chocolatey mouth, he's pulling away, thanking me for the dessert and heading out the door. I take a few steps and rest my head against the cool stainless steel ice box before letting my jelly legs slide to the floor with a sigh. Now, just to clean up this kitchen from dinner.

The next day goes quickly, and if I'm a little distracted by the thought of my date for tomorrow and a blond haired man- I can't help it. Even Cissa notices my good mood, catching me humming a Celestina Warbeck tune as I polish the dining room table with the muggle furniture polish. "You seem in a good mood," she says with a slight smile and a look on her face as if trying to place the tune.

"I'm just excited for my weekend off, it's my first free weekend in years." Which is true, considering if I'm not working, I'm usually at some sort of dreadful dinner party or gala my mother has forced me to attend.

"You're young, you should enjoy life!" she says with a smile. "We are very happy to give you the weekend off."

The next morning, I'm up with the sun, despite not having work to do. Out of the goodness of my heart, I make up a batch of cinnamon rolls and putting a warming charm on them, leave them out where I'm sure Cissa and Lu will see them before packing some for myself and Drake to eat on the way to town.

At eight-thirty, I'm dressed in some of the only casual clothes I own, birthday presents from Luna who has surprisingly normal and stylish taste in clothes. A flowy light blue skirt paired with wedge sandles, a floral print top with matching blues, greens, and yellow in it, and a matching light green cardigan. I have my handbag with my wand and a set of green robes for my trek into Diagon Alley. Drake comes in looking rather fit in a perfectly tailored blue shirt, a pair of gray trousers and a matching vest. I feel a bit underdressed, but he also has a briefcase.

"I have some business in the city, so today is perfect for me to take you into town," he says with a grin, grabbing a cinnamon roll before heading out the side door and through the kitchen garden out onto the grounds. Heading for the outbuilding that appears to be a stable, he presses some sort of button on a box, and a large wall rises up, revealing a muggle automobile parked inside. I've never been in one before, so I'm a bit nervous, but don't let it show as he opens the door for me to climb inside.

Getting in the other side, I watch him strap himself in and follow his lead since I'm not too sure I trust this muggle device as far as I can throw it. Which is not very far.

Soon we're whipping down country roads, passing small farms and homes every so often. It's a lovely day, but I'm still too uncomfortable with the car to enjoy the scene. Plus, I have quite the view right next to me in the driver's seat. Drake makes small talk, asking how I've liked working these past three days. I ask him what his business in town is, but he seems quiet about it.

When we get to Trowbridge, he parks the car, that looks rather shiny and nice next to all the other cars, and we bid our goodbyes, promising to meet back at seven. I head off a ways before finding a deserted back alley and apparating to the Leaky Cauldron.

_Please Review! Especially if you want to hear about Draco and Astoria's date! I'll try to update very soon! Thanks for the reviews and I'm expecting lots for this chapter! _

_Elaine A._


	8. Molly Weasley: Author And Supermum

_Thanks for all the reviews and I'd love more! Enjoy Chapter 8- The first Date! I love this chapter!_

The Leaky is just as I remember it, but perhaps a bit cleaner. But it has that air of coming home to me, a forever familiar place. I hastily pull my robe on over my clothes and throw on a pair of dark sunglasses for good measure. I don't care to be recognized by someone who happened to see the giant picture of my face on the front page of the French newspapers yesterday.

In no time at all, I'm in Gringots, withdrawing several hundred galleons and instructing the goblin who handled the transaction that if anyone hears as much as a peep about my visit, the bank will have itself with quite the legal suit over its head.

Assured of my privacy, I head off to a small café where I pick up a French newspaper which has another article, this one on page five, that briefly states that I am still missing. I carefully compose a letter to my parents and Daphne, hoping they will not be too angry with me for letting them worry so long. A second letter, which I was inspired to write by the store across the street from me was also composed.

_Dearest Mother, Father, Daphne, and Helios,  
>I would first like to say I am safe. I have decided that I need time to discover myself, and I feel I can best do that away from home. I will not tell you where I am, but I have found a recent position to keep me occupied, and am finding it enlightening. I am living quite remotely, and may be out of contact, but I will contact you when needed. I can be reached in emergencies through Dotty. I will not reply if I do not see fit and do not contact me unnecessarily. In regards to my absence, as I quit my job after receiving a degrading promotion that would have resulted in the loss of my status as a lawyer who had passed the bar and worked in contract law for several years, I felt a need for change. Congratulations on your partnership Helios. Although I do not yet feel the need to marry, congratulations again, Daphne. I fear that I do not plan to sign any sort of engagement or betrothal contracts with Mr. Montressor as you had hoped. If upon my return, he is still single and agreeable to a courtship, I may find myself willing to consider it. However, at this time, I do not feel the desire to marry and do not wish to string him along. Despite our differences, I cannot help but love you all.<br>Kisses,  
>Astoria<em>

_Dear Molly Weasley,  
>You may not remember me, but as a great fan of your recent publication on housekeeping, I cannot keep silent. You, my good woman, are a domestic goddess of the first order. In fact, I am of the belief that you deserve an Order of Merlin first class. It has been my lifelong trial to be abhorrent at charms, but you have taught me what no one else could with the simple straightforwardness of your book. Where were you when I was attempting my Charms OWL, both the first and second times? I cannot thank you enough as your knowledge has been particularly useful to me recently. You are a gifted teacher and writer with a keen insight and intelligence. If there is ever any way I can return the favor, please do not hesitate to contact Luna Lovegood, who has an uncanny way of tracking me down.<br>Warmest regards,  
>Astoria Theia Greengrass<br>Licensed Attorney at Law  
>P.S. Give my love to Ginny!<em>

_Luna,  
>Quit my job, ran off on a near arranged marriage by my parents, living with muggles. I think I'm having a mental breakdown of some sort, but I can't make myself care. Infestation of wrackspurts- very likely. However, I think the break will be good for me, so I plan to try some new things out for a while. I learned how to do a warming charm! And a cooling charm! And several other charms! And I've finally had on occasion to wear the outfit you got me for my birthday! I have a date tonight with a very handsome muggle! You know how to find me if you need me, but please do not try to bring me home. I guess your loony-ness has finally rubbed off on me!<br>Miss you! Write me! You promised!  
>LOVE- Storia<br>P.S. Don't forget to kiss that boy (if he is a hottie after all)_

I quickly post the letters and head to do my shopping, which doesn't take long. Heading back to the Leaky, I decide I simply have to floo Helios. We've never gone this long apart, and it's a Saturday, meaning he's probably lying around semi-hungover from last night listening to a game on the wireless.

Going up to Tom, I discretely ask for a private room for an hour or so to make a floo call and am led upstairs by a young woman I vaguely recognize as a hufflepuff from Hogwarts. I think anyways. She doesn't recognize me which was all the better.

"Helloooooooo," I call into the fire five minutes later, looking around Helios' parlor. I can hear the wireless on, and I am pretty sure I can hear him rattling around in the kitchen. "LIO!"

"RIA!" I hear him cry, crashing out of the kitchen and into the living room area. He's wearing his favorite team's shirt, and his hair is mussed, and I'm so happy to see his familiar face. "RIA!"

"Hey," I say softly.

"Where the hell are you!" he says, his look of relief turning to anger. "I've been out of my mind with worry!"

"I'm sorry. I'm fine, I just sent a letter off to assuage your worries, but I thought I might call. I missed you too."

"Where are you? Where are you right now?" he demands.

"I've been staying at someone's house, I'm no longer in France."

"And what are your plans?"

"I don't know. I found a job."

"A job! As what? A charms specialist?"

"Close enough," I laugh seeing the look of total shock on his face. "Look, I don't want to be found. I heard about the arranged marriage, and it was too much on top of being made your secretary. I'm a licensed attorney, and refuse to take such a position. "

"I still can't believe Father tried to make you my secretary!"

"Senior Assistant, but same thing," I reply.

"What firm hired you now?"

"I thought I would try something different. Break out from law," I say.

"But you can't be serious about the charms thing! Really, Ria, you're terrible with charms. I wouldn't trust you with wingardium leviosa."

"Maybe I'm better at them now," I say, uncomfortable with the accuracy of that statement prior to three days ago.

"Ria, if you're having some sort of breakdown…"

"I'm not!" my voice rises in distress because despite what I told Luna- I was being a little dramatic. "Just because I question my life does not mean I'm having a breakdown! I never asked anyone to find me a husband. I just don't know what I want. I need a bit of time to… to think."

"You know I love and support you always sister. We both know you've got more backbone than Daphne, and frankly you deserve the best. Which only you know what's best for you. I miss you though, so come home soon."

"I miss you too, and thank you for respecting my decisions. Congratulations by the way on partner."

"Thanks, we'll see what happens when father realizes how needed you are."

"Haha… like he could ever admit he was wrong. Love you! See you next week maybe? I might send an owl."

"I'll be around. Love you too, be safe."

* * *

><p>I head back to Trowbridge, and wander around the muggle shops a bit until seven. I finally meet up with Drake, and he looks even better than he did this morning. Maybe because he's ditched the vest, has loosened his tie, and his hair is a bit disheveled. The briefcase he carried has mysteriously disappeared, and I can tell his business in town probably didn't go well. I smile extra big to try and make up for it.<p>

"You are a sight for sore eyes," he says greeting me with a one sided smile and a look of appreciation.

"I've had a very lovely day. I got quite a lot done. How was your business?" I say taking his offered arm and letting him lead me down the street as formally as if we were at one of my Uncle Theodore's stuffy dinner parties. My mum's side of the family has always been incredibly pompous and formal. No wonder my cousin Theo is so painfully awkward.

"It didn't go exactly as I had hoped," confesses Drake. "I was genuinely hoping to land a position with this hospital, but they claim they can't hire me. Apparently the background clearance to work in the back and never see a patient is just as stringent as if the patient actually saw my face. They said the work I proposed sounded interesting and they are looking to fill a position of a similar nature, but could not in good conscience hire me…" he trails off, obviously frustrated. "I want to make a difference, do something good to make up for what has been lost. What I did to tear apart other's happiness, no matter how unwillingly I may have done it…" He's running his hand through his hair again. "I'm sure your day was much more interesting. Anything you'd like to share?"

We reach a restaurant that has cheerful music coming out the open door and looking around the back what appears to be an outdoor patio decorated with fairy lights. Drake leads me into the doorway with a questioning look. It's obviously a local place. A middle aged quartet of men are playing instruments while one sings out a rowdy song that has feet tapping and one couple in the corner looking like they're about to get up and dance. "It's an Irish pub, but I thought it might be close enough to an English pub for you," said Drake. "And they serve a bloody good plate of fish and chips."

"How are the bangers and mash?"

"Bangin'," he laughs. "Would the lady like to sit on the patio?" I nod and he leads me out to the patio where the music isn't quite so loud and the clapping as the song gains enthusiasm is muffled.

"This place is great," I say a few minutes later when we've given our orders and I take a look around. On the boarder of the town and the country, it's a lovely evening. The twinkling muggle lights above our heads make the atmosphere cozy while the laughter and music wafting in from the open doors of the main room keep it from being too intimate. Perfect for a first date. Goodness… is this a date? What would my mother say? I nearly laugh out loud at the thought.

"So, you never did say what you did today?"

"Oh, just wandered about, made a call to my brother back home, wrote my mum and dad."

"Sounds lovely, was your brother well?"

"Of course, he was just listening to a game and lying about the house. I'm sure I was the highlight of his day. Did I mention he just got a big promotion at work?"

Dinner was amazing, and the cobbler we got for dessert was delectable. I am happily enjoying the last bite, practically moaning as it hits my taste buds, when Drake stands suddenly. Holding his hand out to me, he asks if I would like to dance, and I'm not sure if tonight can get any better. Except he is an amazing dancer, twirling me gently in his arms to the slow song beneath the fairy lights. We end up dancing to several more songs, because when you're as well trained in dance as I am, and you find a partner of equal skill, one dance is never enough. As a final slow song trails off, we silently agree to leave, and he puts some muggle bills on our table before leading me out, taking my hand as we return to the car.

"You didn't talk much about your parents the other day. You said you wrote them today?" he says opening the conversation. "Tell me about them."

"I love my parents, I truly do. I have just always felt… I've never wanted for anything, not even love, but I've always felt I was lacking when it comes to what they want from me. It's pushed me farther and farther away from them in recent years. I can't be the perfect daughter like Daph, marrying the family friend and being deliriously happy about it. I can't be like Lio, the son. I am just the…"

"I'm sure your parents consider you special in your own way. As an only child, I can't say I'm speaking from direct experience. But in the few days I've gotten to know you, I've realized one thing. You're a very special woman, and any parent would be a fool not to recognize it. Hell, you make the best cake I've ever tasted."

"Well thank you, but cake isn't high on their list of accomplishments. My mother is dreadfully proper, and my father is… very driven and hardworking and tends to agree with my mother when it comes to me. Women shouldn't work. He wants me to be happy, and he thinks he knows what's best for me. After all, he and my mother have always been very happy with the life they have together. They are some of the lucky ones. _I'm_ lucky they care so much,_ really_."

"They'll realize eventually. My parents, particularly my father, thought to make decisions for me. It didn't end well, for any of us. I think they realized that they have to step back and let me live my life, make my own mistakes. Half the time they can't stand a thing I do, but they're learning to accept everything I do. Just the other day, my mum told me she was proud of some of the things I've been doing with myself. I'm sure your parents will be behind you when it really counts."

"I hope so. I'm doing so much they would disapprove of right now, it's laughable," I say glancing at our intertwined hands.

"You think they'd disapprove of me? Reformed bad boy?" he asks with a smirk, catching the direction of my look.

"Perhaps," I say flirtatiously, looking at him out of the corner of my eye as he grins outright. "Among other things."

"We should at least give them something to fuel that disapproval," he says, pausing in a shadow just outside the glow of a streetlight and pulling me to him. My breath catches in my throat, and I can only nod, looking into his intense, shadowed eyes. And suddenly he's kissing me again, and it's just as magical as the first time I saw Hogwarts, or held my wand, or …. Hell it's more magical. It's _that_ perfect and right. We're finally forced to pull away for air, and I'm sure I'm flushed, but he looks like it affected him as much as it did me.

"Want to get out of here?" he asks me with a shy smile. And once again at a loss for words, I pull him down for another kiss, full of promise and passion.

The ride back to the estate seems to take forever, and when we get back, the house is dark. Drake leads me through the gardens, stealing kisses behind every tree, statue, or bush until we get to what must be his quarters, what looks to have once been a guest house. Falling into his bed, nothing has ever felt more right. I vaguely wonder if I've just never done this because I've never met the right guy, if I was just too busy, or if it just wasn't the proper thing to do. On that note, I think my mother would absolutely die if she knew I was about to lose my virginity to a muggle. And then I'm not thinking anymore.

The next morning, when I wake up, there's a cluster of forget-me-nots on the pillow next to mine, and I smile. Lying in a bed that smells distinctly of Drake, I'm totally fixated by thoughts of him. I'm aware I've reverted to the behavior of a fourth year with her first love. Next thing you know, I'll be doodling Astoria loves Drake in the margins of Mrs. Weasley's book, dotting the i with a little heart. But I don't care. It's not as if being a mature, level-headed professional was working out so great for me. I decide he won't mind if I use his hairbrush and run it through my hair while I look out the window at the pristine gardens. I feel an inexplicable happiness although all else in my life would seem to indicate I should feel the opposite. On paper, I'm still a catastrophe. I've run away from home because my parents won't stop meddling in my life. I've lost my job as a lawyer at possibly the best firm in all of Europe. My family has no idea where I am, and to top it all off, I now I have a job that makes a fraction what I made working for my father and involves picking up other people's dirty underwear. Ohh, and I have to use charms on a daily basis, albeit that is improving.

I pull on Drake's discarded blue shirt. I can't help humming as I straighten the bed the muggle way. My life has changed, and I'm changing with it. It's as if the old, monochrome, boring Astoria has faded away like a distant memory. I've bottled her up in a dusty pensive vial, and she's going to stay stoppered up. And in her place is the new me. Full of possibilities.

I've never slept with a man before, let alone had an actual relationship. Dates in school don't count. But then, until this week, I'd never done a successful warming charm either. If I can do that, surely I can make this dream come true fall in love with me. The old Astoria would have listened to her mother and decided a muggle wouldn't be worth the drama. Well not the new Astoria. I've seen Daphne and the other girls at parties. I know the rules. It's all about the looks, the body language, the flirty conversation. It's about making him feel like he's the center of your world. And it shouldn't be too hard, because honestly, it already feels like he is.

Drake is in the kitchen, and he seems to have encountered some trouble, judging by the mess and the loud bang and crash that just proceeds me into the kitchen. He looks so handsome and frustrated and wonderful standing there with pancake batter in his hair and flower all over his plaid pajama pants. Reminds me of myself really. I can't help laughing and crossing the room.

"Having a few difficulties?"

"I'm managing things just fine," he says tightly, and I can tell I've embarrassed him. But he's just so sexy, I can't help forgetting that I was hungry enough to come downstairs.

"You've made quite the mess. You're quite the mess," I say raising my eyebrow, looking around and at his disheveled appearance. He shrugs and tosses his head, causing batter to drip down the side of his face.

"I don't know what you're about," he starts with denial as I pull his face to mine. His eyes widen in surprise as I lick the batter off his cheek and slide his lips over mine.

"I'll just have to clean you up," I say, attempting my sultriest voice. Perhaps I can whip out my wand later if he leaves the room. This place looks like the Great Hall after a food fight.

_I'm hoping you adored it, but pleeease tell me what you think. Pretty blue button to review! _

_Elaine A._


	9. Lucius Malfoy: Owner and CEO Malfoy & Co

_Please enjoy and review. _

Monday morning comes all too soon. And somehow I fall into a pattern of work. Miraculously, cooking becomes more natural to me, and the charms are getting that much easier. Cleaning too. Although, I don't think I'll ever be content with cleaning loos. In the evenings, Cissa and Lu usually retire to the gardens, or sometimes Lu's study where they'll light a fire and curl up together. Usually I bring them some warm drinks and scones those nights. It would have been perfectly obvious that they're still madly in love, even if I hadn't accidently stumbled on them in their bedroom in the middle of the day when I went up to collect the laundry. It was so awkward, I considered obliviating them. Alas, I still don't trust my charms work that far. I almost told Drake about it one evening, but considered it bad practice for the staff to gossip about the family. He usually comes into the kitchen, my domain, in the evenings. I'll save my dinner until then, and we'll eat, and discuss our day a bit together. Then we'll usually go for our own moonlight walk in the garden, complete with the most earth shattering kisses.

Over the weekend, he offers to take me into town again, and we go see a film. I've never seen anything like it, and he seemed just as enthralled with it as I was. Muggles are quite ingenious. It was magical. And then, of course, so was his post date snog.

I've never been courted before, but Drake makes it so perfect being together. I like to think our lives haven't been so very different, and sometimes, for a flash, I'll think he sees the world exactly like I do.

Another week passes, and I finally hear from Luna. Rolf, his name is Rolf, is in fact a wonderful kisser. She thinks he might be the one. I can barely wait to write her that I've found my _one_ and that he's a muggle of all things.

Before I know it, it's been three more weeks. I'm surveying myself in the mirror before heading down to make breakfast, when it hits me. I'm happy. I'm not busting my arse trying get contracts signed. I'm eating three square meals a day. I get sleep every single night, no more naps in the office. I have seen the sunlight, the proof being the slightest tan in my otherwise pale complexion. I've only answered three owls, the one from Luna, one from Helios, and one from Ginny who heard I was missing and freaked out and sent me a howler. I really should have anticipated that one and sent her news first on my well being. I'm a bit nervous seeing her this weekend. I've barely seen her in the past three years I've been so busy with work. I think I made it back for her wedding, and I came to James' birth. I vaguely recall some Christmas event also, but… yes I think I went but the evening resulted in me too drunk to recall much.

That evening, I'm particularly pleased with the evening meal. It's too bad they aren't having a dinner party tonight like they did last Thursday. The menu is exquisite, and I've managed to set the table so nicely with some of the nicest china in their cabinets, their silver candlesticks, and flowers I snuck from the garden. I've even charmed their radio to play slow classical love songs, and I sincerely hope they don't try to change the station because it's not a real muggle station, just one of my creation.

"Cissa?" I call, realizing that it's time for dinner and no one has appeared in the dining room. I head through the maze of hallways until I reach the west facing music room where she enjoys spending her afternoons, often with a good book. I pass Lu's study on the way and notice he is absent from his usual lair also. Where _are_ they?

I wonder if Cissa wanted to change before dinner, and head upstairs to be met with the sound of loud voices as I near their room. I've obviously found them both, and they appear to be arguing.

If I know the first rule of domestic help, it's that when the mistress and her husband are arguing, I do not exist.

"Who's it from!" Cissa voice is shrill. "Just tell me that!"

"I don't need to tell you who I'm corresponding with!" an indignant Lu shouts right back. "Never have!"

"If you understood _anything_!"

"I understand!" Lu sounds apoplectic. "Don't tell _me_ I don't understand!"

I'm just backing away slowly, when Cissa storms out of the room into the hallway, followed shortly by a frantic looking Lu. I'm mortified and freeze. I wish I had my wand so I could apparate away or cast a disillusionment charm, but stupid me left it in the kitchen.

"What about 1997!" She's shrieking as she walks backwards out of the room. "Do you remember that!" She slams the door and spins on her heel to find me standing awkwardly in the middle of the hall.

"Dinner is ready, my lady," I manage to say quietly to the carpet, my face is bright red.

"If you mention bloody 1997 to 1999 one more bloody time I'll do you a favor and obliv-"

"LU!" Cissa cuts him off with a panicked look as he storms through the door. She gives a slight nod toward me and he seems to swallow whatever he had been saying and stand a little straighter, all emotion draining from his face. She shoots him a superior look before stalking past him back into the bedroom. "I shall be in my room," she says before closing it swiftly and the sound of a door being locked is heard. Merlin, just the sound of it brings back memories of my mother locking father out.

"It's my bloody room too!" says Lu forgetting himself and making a move as if to get a key or something out of his pocket before stomping his foot and looking at me with a desperate look in his eye.

"I've made dinner," I say hoping to console him a bit. He shoots me a dirty look at crosses the hall to lean against the wall, staring at the door in front of him mournfully. He looks so dejected.

"Lady Cissa," I say knocking on the door, feeling my knuckles burn slightly as I do. "I've made dinner, and I'm worried it's err… getting cold." No I'm not, there's a warming charm.

"I'm not in the mood for eating," her voice comes from the other side of the door, almost as if she's leaning against it. I'm a bit torn as I have spent the entire afternoon preparing this dinner, and I'm quite proud of it. They can't just not eat it.

"You have to eat!" I say and Lu looks at the door hopefully.

"WHAT?" she says, opening the door and giving me a look of disbelief that I would practically order her to eat.

"Ehh… Everyone has to eat!" I improvise. "It's a basic need, so why don't you and Lord Lu continue your discussion over the lovely dinner I've prepared. Have a glass of wine, and relax, and er… forget the entire episode of the 1990's. That's what I try to do most days." I can practically feel their tempers rising as I mention the argument.

"I'm not the one who brought that mess up!" exclaims Lu. "I thought it was a closed subject."

"I only mentioned it because you were being so secretive… again!" Cissa says miserably, wiping at her eyes which are red and watery. "How do you think I feel… being your… trophy wife!"

"Cissy," and to my astonishment, Lu crosses the hall and takes his hands and cups her face, using his thumbs to wipe away her tears. "Don't you ever say that. You're the love of my life, and you have been ever since I returned from my world tour and found that my arranged bride was the most beautiful, charming, sweet, and intelligent woman in all of society."

I'm quite curious that they have an arranged marriage, not a common thing. My parents and myself are the only others I've ever known who have them. And I'm NOT going along with one, despite how my parents and obviously theirs have seemed to turn out. My parents love each other very much, and it's obvious Cissa and Lu do too.

"I know," whispers Cissa gazing up at Lu as if he's the only man in all the world. I suddenly feel a pang and miss my parents, because as controlling and disapproving they are, they do love me, and they love each other. "Let's go and eat, Tori is right, a nice meal will help this all disappear."

Lu shoots me a look of eternal gratitude, and looks to Cissa with a giant grin that makes him appear years younger and incredibly handsome. In this moment, the usually sour and proper man reminds me so much of Drake, I almost startle.

"Alright, let's get your cloak, we can go to London and eat at your favorite place," he says, his silver eyes lighting up. "I've missed taking you out lately. Tori, you can have the night off, we'll be out, and don't stay up, we might stay overnight. We have a townhouse there that we don't use nearly enough. It's only a few blocks from your old employers the Greengrass's London home. Perhaps they'll be in residence. I just received a letter saying their youngest daughter is missing, and that they are desperate to find her safe and sound."

"Is that what the letter was about!" exclaims Cissa. "Astoria is missing!" I'm going pale as a ghost as the two go back into their bedroom. "Theia must be out of her mind." Dear Merlin, they have the muggles searching for me now too. It's just a matter of time before they put my picture in the muggle paper, and Cissa and Lu see it! Luckily, it hasn't appeared in the English wizarding papers yet, I've been checking The Prophet daily, and mum's sure to put it in there before anywhere else.

I wander downstairs feeling faint, and somehow end up in the dining room. The candles and fireplace are the only light and they are creating romantic shadows through the room and reflecting off the silver. I'm just reaching into my pocket to start cleaning up the mess when a voice comes from next to the fireplace.

"They aren't coming to dinner," he says, and I wonder how I missed him there, because despite his dark clothes, his light hair is golden in the darkness and quite bright. He turns and his silvery eyes look over me and I'm conscious of the drab housemaid uniform I'm wearing. "When they fight they go into London for dinner."

"Yes, unfortunately this dinner was a bust," I cross to the table and am just reaching for the first tray when I feel Drake come up behind me.

"We can still enjoy it," he says pulling me to Cissa's chair which he has pulled out for me. "I'm positive they won't mind," he says sensing my hesitation. I sit gracefully, and allow him to pour me some wine, feeling odd to have someone else serving me.

He seats himself in Lu's chair, and with a look of concentration begins fixing a plate for himself, while I do the same. Something about the look reminds me of Lu's face in the hallway earlier, but then Drake looks up at me, and I have the feeling I'm in for quite the romantic evening. And I am, because after the delicious-if-I-do-say-so-myself dinner, we dance, and instead of letting me clean up, he drags me through the garden to his place where we end up doing very little sleeping.

"Tori," he says as we are laying on our sides, looking out the magnificent window at the countryside.

"Hmm…" I reply, a bit distracted by his fingers absently trailing along my side.

"I've never… I've never met someone like you before," he says, sounding unsure. I roll over and look at him, seeing his silver eyes reflecting the moonlight. "I've never met someone who made me feel so…. Complete. I… I've never felt this way about anyone, and never thought I would after everything with my past… because who in their right mind would want to be with me for more than fifteen seconds?" I open my mouth to protest, as I always do that a past does not define a person, but he stops me with a quick kiss. "Shhh… let me finish. I guess what I'm trying to say… is… I love you."

I'm overwhelmed with emotion and feel tears in my eyes, because I have never thought anyone would feel this way about me either. I'm not perfect like Daphne. I'm a royal screw up when it comes to pureblood society, my mother's constant embarrassment. I express opinions, I don't dress to suit everyone else, my hair too blond, my eyes too pale, my manner not quite flirtatious or open enough, too intelligent and over educated, my insistence on working. I'm not exactly my father's pride and joy either as he has to say, yes he does have a woman working for him, and yes it is his daughter, and no she isn't married yet. And while I know that they love me, and that Helios and Daphne love me…. I've never had a man who looked at me more than once for something past my fortune or ability to create pureblooded heirs.

"I love you too," I say as the tears come freely. "I don't know what I ever did without you." And I don't, because then, who would I eat breakfast with every morning long before Cissa and Lu are awake? Who would I tell about my day who actually seems interested? Who would comfort me when I'm missing my family? Who would assure me that my second oldest friend is going to forgive me for only seeing her three times in the past four years? Who would hold me in the night?

He reaches up and uses his thumbs to wipe away my tears. "No crying," he says gently before kissing me lightly.

"These are happy tears," I say trying to justify my over emotional state. "You make me happier than… a nargle at Christmastime." I accidentally use Luna's favorite nonsense phrase, and he smiles even wider, his grin turning goofy.

"You're too wonderful for me," he laughs kissing me again, and I'm lost in his embrace and his love. The world couldn't get any more perfect.

_I hope you liked it. Thanks for reviewing, before enjoy the next chapter! Ellie_


	10. Ginny Potter: Quidditch Correspondent

_ THANKS FOR ALL THE REVIEWS I'VE HAD LATELY, and a special thanks to Bucky5, Snowflakebeautiful, and Elmkey who helped me with the new summary! And of course Grace who had to listen to me read her like fifteen different summaries.  
>ENJOY READING AND REVIEW<em>

The next day, I'm still practically floating on air. Lu catches me dancing around his office humming the sappiest Celestina Warbeck song that I know as I use a feather duster that I charmed to attract and lock in dust. I'm midspin when I hear him clear his throat, and I nearly fall on my arse. Clutching the feather duster to my chest, I nearly pull out my wand.

"You seem in a rather good mood this morning," he says with a grin.

"Oh, um, Lord Lu, I er… didn't realize you and Lady Cissa had returned from London… and I thought I would dust the room."

"It's quite alright, you're just doing your job," he says benignly. "Thank you for last night by the way. Cissa was being quite irrational, but then again, I could have just told her about the letter."

"I'm glad you two reconciled," I say, because from the look on his face, he seems rather too content for them to still be fighting.

"Yes, you seem to have had a nice night off?" he says seating himself at his desk and pulling out a quill and piece of parchment, brushing his long hair back to clear his vision. I'm reminded of my father as he settles in for the day, and I know he'll want me out of the room soon so he can immerse himself in his business. From what I can tell, Lord Malfeg directs a very large business from home. He certainly spends enough time holed up in his office working on it.

"It was… the most memorable evening of my life," I say, being more truthful than I expected.

"To be young and in love," laughs Lu, and I blush as he picks up a piece of paper and starts to look it over with a frown.

"I'll have a noon meal ready for you and Lady Cissa in the morning room," I say leaving him to his work. He barely nods as I leave the room.

* * *

><p>"I've spent most of the morning corresponding with him. He's afraid she won't return until the contract is dissolved, but the idiot made it practically airtight. It's going to take a few more weeks for them to finish things up in France, but he thinks that England will be a good place to investigate. They hope to be here within the month, and I'm sure she would very much appreciate your help and support during this trying time. Apparently, she's been questioning everything in her life, wondering if she's been too hard as a parent. He almost took her to the hospital with one of the anxiety fits."<p>

"Oh, poor darling, I wish I could go comfort her, but they get so suspicious when we try to leave the country! The blasted media! I'll have to write her, but if I know her, she might have been a little pushy. She's always been used to getting her way, via manipulation or direct attack. And with their eldest making such a wonderful marriage, no wonder the poor girl felt trapped, and a contract!"

I absently listen to Cissa and Lu happily chatting as I serve the food. Cissa seems quite distraught over her husband's morning business, but everything seems wonderful between the two of them. "It's too bad we couldn't arrange something between our families, although I know you have long since said we would never do something like that," says Lu thoughtfully. "Such a good family, and if I remember, they said she looks like her mother did before her hair darkened."

"Oh posh! After our unhappy childhood, as if you could even contemplate something like that! Besides, I think he seems happier lately. I've been meaning to talk to him. Maybe he's found someone. I had grown tired of him moping about and never doing anything besides seeing Greg, Theo, and Blaize once in a blue moon… oh- and that Longbottom boy. You don't think they're…. more than friends?"

"Our son! A poof!" exclaims Lu, nearly upsetting the glass of lemonade I've just poured him. I can't help but tune in to their conversation. "I dearly hope not! Surely not after all that nonsense in school with Violet's daughter!"

"I'm just worried," says Cissa. "A mother just starts to wonder what's wrong with her only son when he can't find a girl and makes zero effort to do so."

"If he's anything like his father, he's just holding out for the right girl. He seems cheerful enough lately. Now, this looks lovely! Thank you, Tori, the missus and I appreciate it," says Lu dismissing me. I'm happy to leave them to talk about the sexual preferences of their son privately.

* * *

><p>The next morning, I leave a light breakfast for Lu and Cissa, and drop off some blueberry muffins for Drake in his kitchen with a warming charm to keep them fresh. I'm meeting Ginny in London for an early brunch, and I want to make a few quick stops before I see her. I need to send a letter off to Helios, and I want to stop by a muggle drugstore. I'm considering dying my hair. If my parents start looking for me in England, perhaps I should change the color of my golden blond hair. I've always wondered what I would look like as a redhead… or perhaps a dark brown, or black.<p>

I sneak away through the hedge that separates their property from the street and offers visual protection from the house. Pulling up the hood to my dark blue cloak, I take a quick glance around before apparating off to London.

_Dearest Mum, Dad, Lio, and Daph,  
>I do not plan on returning home anytime soon. I hope you can send my apologies to Mr. Montressor, but I cannot marry him in good faith. I have given my heart to another, and yes mother, I have thoroughly ruined myself. But, I'm in love, and he loves me. I have never been so happy in my life, and my greatest sorrow is that I am sure you would not share my joy. He is a muggle and not of great means, but I believe we could be outrageously happy together for the rest of our lives. He is my soul mate, and I could never marry another. Please stop looking for me and trying to bring me home. I will come home when I am ready, and I will not marry someone of your choosing.<br>I love and miss you,_

_Astoria_

I post the letter with a bit of regret, hoping my mother doesn't take my words too harshly. But surely she will understand eventually, because she knows the importance of love. She just doesn't realize that every arranged marriage cannot end up that way.

I meet Ginny at her brothers' store, and my nerves about seeing her were unneeded. When she sees me, she throws her arms around him and dances around happily, in true Ginny fashion. "Astoria!" She exclaims happily. "You look magnificent!"

"I feel magnificent," I laugh as she starts dragging me out the door, hopefully to find some food. I'm famished.

"Well, some time off from your job as a slave to the law seems to have done you well. What have you been doing with yourself?"

"Shh," I say, pulling my hood up and looking around to make sure no one is watching me with the famous bouncing red head. All I need is for this to get in the papers. _Astoria Greengrass spotted with The Chosen One's Wife in Diagon Alley._ I shudder and hurry us into the Leaky Cauldron where Hannah Abbot who works there has set aside a room for us to eat.

"Sooo! I'm dying here! What's going on with you?"

"Well, of course you know I ditched France after that whole ordeal with father demoting me from lawyer to secretary and my mother finally convincing him to arrange a marriage for me since I've been so hopeless and uninterested these past few years. Lio made me a portkey to absolutely nowhere, and I ended up at this manor house in Wiltshire. The Malfegs are really great and for some reason thought I was there to interview for a maid position and gave the job on the spot. I'll admit, I may have misled them a bit saying I knew how to cook and clean and such…"

"ASTORIA!" she exclaims. "Misled them a _bit_! You can't cook for the life of you and you've probably never cleaned a room your entire life. Plus, you're the worst person with charms that I've ever met, so you probably couldn't even use magic to help you! How did you think you could pull off that whopper?"

"Well I've managed it so far," I huff giving her a glare, but at the same time realizing she doesn't know how much her mother has helped me with her book. "I happen to have had some help from my house elf and then surprisingly your mum! I'm quite improved at charms now. I could probably pass my owl," I say pulling out my wand and looking for something to charm.

"Oh no you don't! I don't have a death wish!" she laughs, disarming me quickly.

"No! I haven't blown anything up in weeks! I can do almost any household charm and I'm sure I could pass my OWL," I say snatching my wand back with a glare.

"Hm… well then I guess you might as well look for a man so you can start practicing your pregnancy prevention charms and see how well _those_ work." I flush bright red at her teasing. "Oho, found a man already! No wonder you look so good! Spill!"

"I'm in love," I say with a grin. Anything to distract her from making fun of my charms skills. "He's… amazing. He's sensitive, and kind, and intelligent, and funny, and Merlin is he handsome."

"Now I know you're making him up," she laughs.

"Says Mrs. Perfect Potter," I laugh right back. "He's a muggle," I continue, causing her to gasp in surprise. "I know! Won't mummy dearest and papa be surprised? But I love him, and he loves me, and… I can't imagine never knowing him. It's like we were destined to be together, like we're soul mates. I'm just not… complete… without him. I'm sorry if I sound ridiculous. It's hard to explain or understand."

"I think I know exactly what you're trying to say," she says with a soft smile. "I'm so happy for you!"

"I hoped you might. He's just… he's too wonderful for me, but somehow, he loves me and wants me back, and I… I'm so happy Ginny," I say bursting out into tears just trying to tell her about him.

"What's his name? What's he like?" she says as if my tears are nothing unusual.

"His name is Drake, Drake Mug, and he works as the gardener at the Malfeg's. He works all day tending their garden, so his skin has a wonderful tan, and his arms and chest and back are all really fit from lifting things and digging. He's smart though too, not just great looks! He wanted to be a doctor, but they wouldn't let him because of his history, that's like a healer you know. But he wants to work with experimental drugs derived from plants, which is like medical potions research from what I can tell. And he wants to help people live healthier lives. I guess he even went to school and got most of the training but no one would hire him once he had. He's just biding his time until, as he says, people's memories fade a bit."

"He sounds delicious! But, what was he? A serial killer?" says Ginny.

"He was forced into some kind of gang. I guess he barely avoided jail. It sounded a lot like the death eaters, but he said that when they asked him to kill someone, he just couldn't do it. He truly regrets his past. He… he cried telling me about some of it after we'd been together a bit. And he says he will never tell me other parts, and I don't know if I want to hear it. Sometimes, I think he hates himself, and I don't know how to make him understand that he isn't that person they tried to make him become. I'm sure he has terrible dreams about it, and… I love him so much and it hurts to think that others hate him for a past he regrets and didn't want," once again I was crying.

"There, there, I'm sure people don't hate him. The most you can do is assure him of your love, every day. It's all any of us can do for those we love sometimes."

I smile at the ever rational Ginny. "Speaking of which, how are you and Harry? And I want to see some pictures of little James. I'm sure he's unrecognizable from the baby I saw when he was born!"

"Merlin, he's getting big, I can barely think what he looked like when he was born. Makes me want a tiny baby again to cuddle. He turned one a few months ago, and I have a couple of pictures from that. I think you said you had a big appearance in court the Monday after his party, and couldn't make it," she says pulling out her wallet. "This is him and next to him is Harry's godson Teddy Lupin. You remember Professor Lupin, it's his son."

"Ahh, yes, he looks just like Harry, except for the eyes, bit of a mix there," I laugh. "He's adorable!"

"He is, and I adore him! Just like I adore my husband. Our anniversary was just last month, and it's strange to think we've been married this long. You should see our house. We've been renovating it for a while, but it's just about done. Sirius' Black left it to us, it's over on Grimmauld Place, just a block or two from your family's London townhouse. It's situated in a great part of Wizarding old London, lots of families we know around."

"I haven't been to that place in years. We only ever spent the winter holidays in London, we always spent summers at Greengrass manor. My parents only ever wanted to be in London when the weather at home was too dreary to be outside in the gardens. We usually only resided in London from November to February," I comment, remembering my childhood home in the country, not much unlike the place I was living now.

"Well, when you and your family reconcile, I'd love to see the inside. The outside looks so nice and well kept," comments Ginny.

"You just want reassurance that you're spending the Potter fortune well," I laugh. "It's just as well I'm in love with a poor man. I'm not sure what I would do with two fortunes."

"Oh yes, what _would_ I spend money on if I had been rich like you _and_ married Harry?" she laughs. "I'm sure you could have found something to toss money away on. Like… albino peacocks!"

"The family I work for has albino peacocks!" I exclaim, humored by the irony. Cissa and Lu obviously have tons of money, and it shows in everything from their toilet paper to their peacocks.

"Must be more popular than I thought! Maybe Harry and I should get some!" she laughs wiping away tears. I secretly hope she's not seriously considering the idea. I just can't picture Ginny the owner of Albino Peacocks... Luna-yes... Ginny... no. Her brothers would probably find a way to tye dye them.

The rest of our meal is wonderful, and when we leave the Leaky, it is with some reluctance that we hug and separate. After all, with our track record, who knows when we'll next see each other.

I apparate back to a field near the manor around noon, and meander my way back, picking wildflowers as I go. Ironically, when I slip through the gate, I immediately spot one of the peacocks and can't help but laugh out loud.

By the time I find Drake, reading a book under a pear tree in one of the front gardens, I've created a crown of flowers for my hair, and have shed my cloak in favor of the pale green sundress I wore to meet Ginny. He looks up at me and smiles, and I feel like I'm home.

"How was the game you went to last night?" I say, knowing he and a friend were going to watch a match or something.

"It was great! How was your friend Gin?" he says as I continue twirling around, watching my dress bell out, feeling so young and free.

"Oh, she's great! She showed me all these pictures of her son! He's getting so big, and he looks just like his father!"

"Well, if we ever have kids, I hope they look just like you," he says, and I'm sure I blush to the roots of my hair. I personally hope they look just like him. His eyes are so much more interesting than mine, and his smile, and his chin, and his height, and Merlin, everything about this man.

"Nonsense, you're much better looking than I am," I laugh as he pulls me down to the ground next to him. "Besides, both of us have golden hair and light eyes. I'm sure any children would too, so they would look like _us_."

"But they'll have your smile," he insists pulling me in for a kiss. And I'm too busy kissing him to argue that I want them to have his smile. Besides, we won't be having babies anytime soon, so this discussion is pointless.

_Hope you liked it, Please review before enjoying the next chapter. Thanks Ellie_


	11. Drake Mug:Gentleman Extraordinaire

_I adore this chapter and I hope you do too! I was at the lake for two days and came back to TONS of reviews so THANK YOU SOOO MUCH! I'm super excited! Also if you like this, you might try my other stories, especially my Bill Fleur Story Can You Keep A Secret?_

Monday morning, I'm getting ready for the day, when I hear the pop of apperation behind me. I spin to see Dotty with a letter.

"Mistress, your mother wanted Dotty to take this to you and tell you that she misses and loves you and means every word, and then Dotty must be going," she says holding out the letter. "Also, your house is very clean and nice and ready for when you come home."

"Thank you Dotty, take the day off and enjoy some time with your friends and family if you like. I appreciate your delivery of this," I say with a smile, wondering what my mother has to say.

Putting my letter in my pocket, I hurry downstairs, because I won't be able to enjoy my morning tea and toast with Drake if I don't hurry downstairs to get a jump on the Lord and Lady's breakfast. Lu has taken a great liking to my blueberry muffins, so I'll make those as Drake seems to prefer them also, and then I'll make up some eggs also.

It isn't until after breakfast, that I get a chance to sit down and read the letter from my mother.

_Dearest Astoria,  
>I've come to understand that these past few years may have been difficult on you. I sometimes forget how pushy I am, and I realize that I should have been more understanding about your job. Your father has assured me that you are a wonderful lawyer many times, but I haven't been able to see how much it means to you. I'm not going to ask you to come home until we finish dissolving the marriage contract we drew up with the Montressors. There are many steps involved in canceling it despite the fact you didn't sign it. Once it has been cleared up, I hope you will come home, even for a day to see me. I miss you, and I love you. I am happy you seem to have found love. I hope to meet this man, and fear not, I can pretend to be a muggle, but only for you. I sincerely doubt that I could actually live as one for an extended period of time. I'm much too accustomed to my ways. If you say you love him, he must be very special. Once again, I'm relieved you're safe, and happy that you seem happy. You haven't been for such a long time, I was only trying to do what I thought best. Please forgive me. I can't lose you.<br>Love, Mum_

I'm sitting there crying over the letter in my mother's familiar hand when I feel a hand running up and down my back in a soothing manner. "Shhh," she says softly as she lightly runs her hand over my hair. "What's wrong?"

"My… my mother," I manage, and through my tears I immediately realize she got the wrong idea. "I mean… she loves me!" Cissa immediately seems relieved, glad to not have to deal with the death of her housekeeper's mother. "I… I've… We've been at odds recently, and she just wrote me to tell me that she misses me and loves me, and is happy for me. I don't really know why I'm crying about it, but I guess I just missed her more than I realized."

"I'm glad everything is alright. Sometimes, it's good to have a good cry. If you miss her, you can take this week off to visit her?"

"No, I'll see her soon enough."

"Well, I'm glad everything is alright," she says handing me a cup of hot tea that seems to have appeared out of nowhere. "But have a cup of tea, you look like you could use it. I just wanted to tell you, Lu and I will be gone the rest of the day, so no need to prepare dinner or lunch. We're going to a charity ball."

"Thank you, I really appreciate the tea. I'll leave out a nightcap and some light snacks for you and Lord Lu in your upstairs parlor. The food at those society events is never very filling, and it's always a worry to eat much in a nice dress anyways," I say off hand, not noticing the intense look Cissa gives me before shaking her head.

* * *

><p>The rest of the week passes quickly, and I can't help but wonder if my mother expected me to write back. I write her about twenty letters that end up in the rubbish bin, and I know that what needs to be said will be said in person. I'll just wait until she writes me or Helios writes me that the marriage contract was dissolved.<p>

Friday afternoon can't come quickly enough, and I'm excited because Drake has been planning a romantic getaway all week. He drives us into Trowbridge, and we catch the train into London. He seems to have lots of plans for us, almost like he's never been to London before.

"I thought we could go to the opera tonight," he says when we've finally reached the very expensive looking hotel he has booked for us for the two night's stay.

"I don't know if I brought anything suitable for the opera," I say thinking of the dresses at home in my closet.

"Don't worry, taken care of," he says with a grin, pulling out a box wrapped in silver paper with a blue bow. I look at him, and he looks excited to see me open it, so I humor him, gasping when I see the pale green fabric.

"Yes! It matches your eyes as near perfect as I hoped," he says with a grin. I look astounded at the expensive dress. It has a sweetheart neckline with a tight waist and a very small flare before falling to the floor. The triangular straps in front connect the dress's silk material to that of the see-through billowy sleeves that cinch at the wrists. Turning the dress in my hands I'm startled to realize that the dress is nearly backless. It's beautiful.

"Although the look on your face has been quite rewarding, I'd really like to see you in it," he says with a smirk. I can't help kissing him soundly before rushing off into the bathroom to put it on. Of course it fits perfectly, if just a bit tight and revealing in the bust, but I'm guessing he intended it that way. I quickly whip out my wand and my hair twists itself into a smooth loose knot at the base of my neck with a few whispy curls surrounding my face.

I emerge from the bathroom fifteen minutes later to find Drake looking dashing in a black muggle suit with a bow tie, holding my blue cloak for me, and I hope cloaks are normal opera attire. "You look like a goddess," he says with a smile.

"You look quite handsome yourself," I say taking his arm and he leads me downstairs and out onto the street. Apparently the theatre is nearby. And I guess so is the restaurant.

Drake leads me into a nice restaurant, and we are immediately seated at a private table, somewhat secluded, and dinner almost immediately appears.

"I took the liberty of ordering for you since the show starts at eight, and I didn't want to rush dinner," he explains.

"I'm more than happy to eat anything I didn't have to cook," I say with a smile. "This is all so expensive, you really didn't have to make tonight so fancy," I say uncomfortable in the obviously expensive place. It reminds me of some place my parents would go.

"I wanted to, and don't worry about the cost. If I didn't have the money, I wouldn't spend it. And if I didn't adore you, I wouldn't bother. But I do have the money, and you deserve the very best of all things. Besides men of course, because I'm hoping you'll settle for me."

I can't help but laugh, and I ask him about the opera we are supposed to be attending. He has never been to this opera, but he says it's in French, which he knows I speak, so I should be able to understand it.

By the time we've finished the three course dinner, completed with the best raspberry white chocolate cheesecake I've ever tasted, it's almost time to be at the theatre. We hurry the two blocks to the building that is teeming with well dressed muggles who seem to be excited for the show. Drake has thought of everything and spared no expense as we are led to our very own private box, giving us a magnificent view of the entire theatre. It's a beautiful theatre, red and gold decorations reminding me of the Gryffindor common room. I look at Drake, and he seems excited to be here as well. I wonder if he's ever been to the opera before. I have, but it has always been wizarding operas and all have been in France.

"Is this your first time at the opera?" I ask. He looks over and smirks devilishly.

"No," he replies. "But it's the first time with such a lovely woman at my side. Unless you count my mother- which I don't." I laugh, and it echoes through the room as the lights have just dimmed. I flush with embarrassment at the look the stuffy lady in the box next to us gives me. She reminds me of Professor McGonagall. In fact, if she was wearing tartan and Hogwarts robes I would have sworn it _was _Professor McGonagall.

The opera is amazing, pure magic. And when I tell Drake, he blushes and laughs, happy to have made me happy. When it's over, the songs are still haunting my mind with their beautiful melodies, and I wish I was a good enough singer to do any of the arias justice.

When we leave the building, Drake leads me in the opposite direction of the hotel, and suddenly we're spontaneously waltzing along the sidewalk in downtown London. As I throw my head back laughing, I think I spot the angry woman from the box next to us looking at us with a look of utter shock and awe, but I can't make myself care. Drake laughs with me, and we waltz the entire block. I swear, if he had been trained for dancing by a pureblood mama, he couldn't be a better dancer. I think I'll always enjoy dancing with him, there's just something magical about it.

"Tori," he says in my ear, as we stop at the corner.

"Yes," I say catching my breath from the dance and our laughter.

"I love you," he says catching my lips with his before I can reply.

"I love you too," I return with a big smile.

"Good, just remember that," he says hailing a muggle automobile to pick us up. He opens the door for me and gives the address to the driver while I nervously buckle myself into the seat. I don't much care allowing people I don't know drive me around, but neither does Drake, and he's white knuckled and toe tapping when we finally arrive at our location. He tells the man to wait until we return in an hour.

It's nearing midnight as we get out of the car and Drake leads me along the street, approaching this strange muggle structure that looks like a big wheel.

"Ah! There you are, Sir!" comes a voice in the darkness. "We were wondering what delayed you, but then the theater called and said the show ran long."

"Yes, thank you so much for waiting, we really appreciate it," says Drake.

"No problem, Sir, right this way," and we're being led to the giant wheel. "Have you been on the London Eye before Miss?"

"No, I haven't," I say, not knowing what this really is, but we're led into a little round room with many windows, and the man leaves us there with a bottle of champagne, some strawberries, and chocolate. The door closes behind us, and Drake has me sit down and suddenly the bubble we're in starts to move, and is slowly rising. He pours me a glass of champagne as I watch the London lights beneath us and see the city in a whole new light.

"It's almost like flying," I say, thinking of playing quidditch with my cousins and siblings. I was never spectacular, but I was decent. I usually played chaser. It's been so long since I played quidditch, and I almost wish we could feel the cool night air on our faces.

"I love flying," says Drake absently as he takes a sip of champagne. "Almost as much as I love you."

"There's nothing like it, that's for sure," I say, contemplating if he knew I was a witch and if I could let him ride on the back of my broom sometime. I wonder where it's at.

"When I'm with you, it's like I'm flying," says Drake coming to stand by me as we look out the large window at the romantic scene of London. I turn to look at him, and he gives me an odd smile. "I'm more complete than I've ever felt in my life. These past two months have been the happiest of my entire life. You make me feel like I've never made the mistakes of my past- like they don't matter. You see past the past and through to the real me that no one has bothered to see in I don't remember how long. You might just be the first person to see me… ever. I never thought I would meet someone like you, or feel this way. All I know, is I never want to let you go. I want you by my side today, tomorrow, every day until the day I die, and every night in between. I love you, Tori. Will you do me the greatest honor of my life and become my wife?"

And he's kneeling in front of me with the lights of London in the background, and I can't think. I can't speak, and when I do, the words that come out are all wrong. "That rhymed," I say stupidly and his face is falling by the second.

"Not the answer I was expecting," he says looking uncomfortable kneeling on the ground and grabbing at his collar. And suddenly, I realize tears are streaming down my face but I haven't even said yes.

"YES! DRAKE! OH YES!" I say, pulling him to his feet and crushing my lips to his. I feel him slip something on my ring finger, but I just want to run my fingers through his hair. "I love you," I mumble into his lips. "You're too good for me."

"_You're_ too good for me, luv," he says breaking the kiss and meeting his silver eyes with mine. He cups the side of my face and brushes a whisp of hair behind my ear. "I promise I'll do my best to keep the past from touching you, but know I'll never let it repeat itself. I love you too much for that. I would die first, I will always protect you."

"And I've got your back," I say thinking I would use an unforgivable curse for this man. I would die for him. He smirks as if he knows something I don't, but I know better than to ask. It just makes him smirk more. He holds me tightly the rest of the ride, words being unnecessary, I'm so happy. I'm sure Helios is channeling it and wondering what the hell is going on. I can't wait to tell him, and am hoping that my mother, father, and Daphne will be happy for me. But I can barely think on them, when Drake is feeding me chocolate covered strawberries and asking me what sort of wedding I want, and how many children I want to have, because he says, as long as I'll have him, he'll do his best to give me everything I want.

"I want to be with you. If we're so blessed, for us to have healthy children that we can love and raise together, I want that too. I just want to grow old with you, and sit and look at the sunset and the stars together in the evening and the sunrise in the morning," I say, and he seems content with my answer, because for the rest of the trip, he simply stands behind me and holds me close, dropping kisses on my neck and shoulder at random intervals.

"Tonight was perfect," I whisper as I feel the wheel slow and stopping. "I love you, and I would have said yes with far less effort."

"I know," smirks Drake leading me to the door and taking my hand as I step out. He nods to the operator and thanks him. "I just wanted to make tonight magical and memorable. I need you to know how magical you are to me."

He has no idea how magical I am, but now is not the right time to tell him… if ever…

_SOOOO? Tell me what you think! PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! I think this chapter deserved it. Enjoy the next one! Thanks, Ellie_


	12. Astoria Greengrass: Shocked Fiancee'

_Thanks for all the reviews! Anyways enjoy and please please review! Ellie_

The next morning when I glance at the ring that fits perfectly on my finger, I almost scream. The thing is just as big, if not bigger than Daphne's engagement ring and looks just as real. If this is real, it's worth an absolute fortune. The stone is a giant oval cut diamond set in an intricately worked platinum band that looks of an even finer quality than Daphne's goblin made ring. The large stone has two almond shaped diamonds on both sides, and the band has ivy winding around it with small pale green emeralds for leaves and the tiniest of diamonds as the vine. Pulling it off and looking at it in the early morning light, the intricate detail of the delicate piece is astounding. Drake couldn't possibly have the money to burn on such a piece, it must be in the family or something.

"Do you like it?" he asks, startling out of my perusal. He's propped himself up on one arm and I'm not sure how long he's been watching me stare at the ring. "You didn't really give it so much as a look last night."

"I… it's incredible. It must have cost a fortune though," I say, the weight of it on my hand making me wonder once again how much it cost.

"Yes, I do have excellent taste, if I do say so myself. In women _and _engagement rings," he brags with a smirk. "Don't worry how much it costs. I said I can afford it, and I can. I… I have more money than you think. I… it's complicated."

"Was all of it acquired legally?" I ask, suddenly fearing the worst.

"Well, as far as I know. My father's business has always been very successful, and my mother's family left her a tidy sum, and I… I come from a long line of wealthy people, and I can't promise they always acted legally. I should assure you they probably didn't," he says leaning over me. "I've always known I'll take over my father's business, but… I also want to do other things, help people, use my talents with plants and pot… potential cures for medical problems."

"It's a noble idea," I say. "One day you'll do it, and everyone will realize what I've known from the first time you kissed me."

"And what is that?"

"How wonderful you are," I reply pulling his head down to mine.

When Drake brings me back to the manor Sunday night, it's too hard to part with him, and I end up staying with him. I vaguely wonder what Cissa and Lu would think, but decide I don't care, and the voice in my head complaining about propriety sounds too much like my mother. I'm going to spend every night I can from tonight on in Drake's arms. And Drake seems to think it's a wonderful idea. I wonder why…

The next morning, not even the mess in the kitchen from Cissa's attempts to cook this weekend deters me. I'm sure she's an alright cook, but sometimes after she uses the kitchen it looks like a potions experiment gone wrong. I learned a while ago to stop approaching cooking like potions. I'm wonderful at potions, and abhorrent at charms. So of course cooking is more like charms. Which I'm not sure what that means for muggles.

I'm humming as I change the sheets in one of the upstairs guest bedrooms when I hear a blood curdling scream. I sprint as fast as I can to the noise which I am fairly sure came from Cissa's morning room. When I reach the door, I reach deep in my pocket so I can draw my wand, just in case, before bursting in.

The site that meets my eyes is not what I expected. Not at all. Drake is standing in the middle of the room, dressed in casual clothes while Cissa, is dancing and hoping around him in a giant circle squealing with what appears to be glee and waving her hands wildly.

All I can do is stand there and try and catch my breath as my boss jumps up and down clapping her hands excitedly squealing around my fiancé. Drake looks at me, and his eyes widen, almost in alarm, but before I can open my mouth to ask if everything is alright, Cissa spots me.

"TORI! GUESS WHAT!" she shrieks, happily running up to hug me, and with surprising strength, she picks me up and twirls me around as if I weight nothing and she isn't forty-five years old (the same age as my mum). And if she didn't want me to know how old she was, she shouldn't have let her husband write it on the calendar in his study. "MY SON IS GETTING MARRIED! HE'S IN LOVE!"

She lets me go and spins around the room like a child with her arms wide and her dress belling out around her. She runs over and gives Drake a hug almost as big and kisses both of his cheeks with a beautiful smile. "I don't know if you've met my son, Drakie-poo. He sulks around the garden most days," she says and I feel myself growing faint.

"Your son?" I squeak. I've been…. I've been… I'm engaged… I pass out just before Lu crashes into the room, limping and wielding his cane like a weapon. According to Drake it was hilarious.

DPOV

My heart crashes to my stomach as Tori starts pitching forward and I pull my wand without thinking, preventing her from hitting the floor just as my father bursts through the door looking frantic. He must have heard my mother's screams. Really… all I told her was I found a woman I loved who had agreed to marry me.

I rush to Tori and lift her in my arms and gently carry her to my mother's most comfortable sofa while my father's face takes on a look of rage, sparks coming out the end of his wand that was drawn probably from the minute he heard my mother scream.

"REALLY DRACO!" he shouts, his face turning purple. "SHE'S A NICE GIRL! I'LL DISOWN YOU IF YOU SO MUCH AS HURT A HAIR ON THAT GIRL'S HEAD! I QUITE GROWN TO LIKE HER BLUEBERRY MUFFINS!"

"Father!" I say much quieter as I realize he thinks I hurt Tori. "She fainted."

"Oh, are we going to have to obliviate or fire her?" he asks, sounding worried. "She's more than alright for a muggle, and I've quite grown to like her."

"I'm glad you like her," I say nervously. "I was just telling mother…"

"DRAKIE IS GETTING MARRIED!" my mother bursts out, leaping into my startled father's arms. She starts hopping around, pulling him with her and forcing him into an awkward little dance as he looks at me with a look of utter bewilderment.

"I've fallen in love, and this weekend, I asked the woman I love if she'd like to marry me," I say explaining again for clarity. My mother shrieks in happiness again, letting out a loud and very shrill giggle. Most people would find Narcissa Malfoy entirely unrecognizable at the moment. My normally stoic father also bursts into a grin.

"I'm very happy for you, son. I hope you find true happiness. I know you've been lonely, and the war was hard on you," he says, still letting mother drag him around the room with her jubilant hop-dance. "Do we know her?"

"She's a muggle," I say, wanting to see how he reacts.

"Really?" says my mother, stopping her hop-dance. "How scandalous!" And it's almost as if the thought of me marrying a muggle has her even more excited. My father merely seems to lift an eyebrow as if to say "So?".

"You aren't… upset?" I ask. I honestly wasn't expecting such a brush off on the fact I'm going to marry a muggle. I was anticipating something more along the lines of purple faced rage.

"You're in love, and if she is what makes you happy, we're happy," says my father, nearly causing me to faint in shock. "Besides, it's the twenty first century. It's time to get with the times and all that jazz. Also, it might just be a great political move. Malfoys have been pure for too long, we were bound to get a little inbred eventually. She has to be better than that Parkinson twat."

"Lucius!" my mother exclaims at the curse. "But Draco, your father is right, we're just happy you're happy. I'm honestly relieved it's not a man."

"A man!" I bellow. "Why on earth?"

"Well, you have been spending a lot of time with that Longbottom boy," says my mother loftily. "I was just worried when you didn't seem interested in any girls since that Pansy disaster."

"Well, I can assure you… I'm in love with a woman…"

"Do tell us about her!" exclaims my mother, sitting down on the edge of a chair and pulling my father down next to her. "Please tell me she's pretty!"

"Of course she's pretty!" my father interjects indignantly. "She's going to be a Malfoy, of course she's gorgeous... Isn't she?"

"Well… I… You actually know her, and I think she's beautiful, but I'll let you judge for yourselves.."

"But honey, we don't know any muggles," says my mother with a slight frown. My mother is honestly one of the most intelligent women I know, but sometimes, I think the blond hair just gets to her head. My father seems to catch on much quicker as his eyes dart to the sofa where Tori is passed out, her long blond pony tail trailing over the edge of the couch, her face looking away from us.

"You're right, she's lovely," my father says gently.

"Ohh…" my mother looks back and forth between me and the still figure lying on the couch. "OOOHHH! _OOOHHH!" _And then she's hugging me again and doing her little hop dance, and so excited, I'm afraid I've fallen into an alternate universe. My parents are excited about me marrying a muggle. I'm afraid to question it, because it makes me unbelievably happy.

"She'll give you beautiful children, and she's a smart thing too," says my mom looking at my unconscious fiancé. "And she's so kind hearted. I really like her! I genuinely like her, Draco. Don't mess this up."

"I hope she'll still make us muffins for breakfast after you get married," my father says somewhat sadly. "I've gotten used to her humming and dancing around the manor, I'd miss it if she left."

"But, Draco, why…. Didn't she know you're our son?" asks my mother suddenly and suddenly the room feels a little stuffier.

"Err… I might not have mentioned it. She might think I'm the gardener, Drake Mug," I confess. My father has the gall to laugh out loud.

"Oh Draco! She might be upset you lied to her!"

"Well, at least I know she doesn't love me for my money," I say hopefully. "But she sure did suspect something was up when she took a good look at the engagement ring I had made for her."

"Wake her up so I can get a good look at it!" exclaims my mum, and I whip out my wand and cast a quick enervate.

_I figure this wonderful end of chapter will inspire you to review so Before you read the next chapter send me your thoughts! thanks Ellie_


	13. Narcissa Malfoy: Semipro Hopdancer

_Thanks for all the reviews. Keep them coming! Enjoy this chapter!_

"Drake?" I say, opening my eyes and seeing him hovering over me. "I had the strangest dream, and you were in it, and Lady Cissa was your mother, and then…"

"Erm… that might not have been a dream," Drake says looking guilty. "I've been meaning to tell you my last name isn't… Mug... and that the rich family I come from happened to be… er… this one…"

My eyes widen, and I'm not sure what to say. Seducing the help is about as scandalous as it gets. Well, that and interspecies breeding or marrying a muggle. Two out of three, I think my mum's going to flip.

"You can't marry me!" I exclaim.

"I can and I will. My parents approve, and you have no idea what a big deal it is that they do either."

"What!" I say. "Of course they don't!"

"We do," says Lord Lu with a smile. "If you'll have our son, we're happy that you make him happy."

I think I'm going to be sick. Excuse me… I am going to be sick. And without preamble, I fling myself off the couch and barely make it out of the room to throw up in a potted plant in the hallway. Drake follows me, and I'm incredibly embarrassed. Lord and Lady Malfeg are peeking out into the hallway from the drawing room. I pick up the potted plant, and with as much dignity as I can muster, I address them all.

"This has been a bit overwhelming for me. I think I'm going to go… lie down. I'm… I'm just… I'll see you for dinner, and I'll be making chicken cordon bleu… no… don't… I…" and then I burst into tears holding the puke plant. "Why didn't you tell me! I already told my mum you were a poor gardener and she was fine with it! SHE WAS FINE WITH IT!"

"I'm just going to go get her some tea," Drake tells his parents and leads me away.

"Can she still make chicken cordon bleu for dinner!" calls Lu hopefully. "We're having a couple guests, but of course she can join us as your fiancé!" I hear the muffled crack of flesh hitting flesh and I have a suspicion that Cissa slapped his arm as she has a slight tendency to do. I'm sure the look on his face would almost be worth turning around to see.

By the time we reach the kitchen, my tears have subsided, and the puke smell is making me nauseous again. Drake takes it from me and sets it outside. "This doesn't change anything in our relationship," he says pouring me some tea. It's raspberry flavored and my favorite. "I love you, you love me, and I happen to be filthy rich with some slightly insane parents. You get a much better last name than Mug."

"I know!" I say finally. "But… I… I'm not mad, I have no right to… I have secrets of my own. My last name isn't really Green," I burst out, tears starting up again. "I'm… not even a housekeeper. I'm not cordon bleu trained!" I wail.

"What?" he says. "Who the hell are you?" he demands.

"I… I got lost, and Lord and … your parents were nice to me and thought I was here for the job. So I fibbed a bit and took it! I've run away from home, and I've just begun reconciling with my parents. And my name isn't… I'm Astoria," I say offering him my hand as if we were meeting for the first time.

"Draco," he says with a smile before taking my hand and kissing it formally. I half laugh, half sob. "And I love you whatever your name is… although Astoria seems to fit you better. What… what do you really do if you aren't a housekeeper who makes the best muffins on the planet?"

"Oh, I'm just a lawyer," I say with a wave of my hand as if it is nothing, and he laughs.

"Mer…cy… we are a pair. A qualified doctor and a lawyer parading about as household staff."

"Don't forget you're rich as sin," I say, nearly adding that I am too, considering my trust fund.

"Ah yes… well… I think none of it really matters except our love," Drake says kissing me, and with a kiss like that, what's a girl to do but agree. "But, anything else I need to know about you, Miss Astoria?"

"Err… can we keep things on a need to know basis?" I suggest, not yet wanting to reveal the big kicker.

"I think that might be best. You don't know all my secrets yet," he laughs, sounding nervous himself.

"I love you anyways," I say, knowing that if the things he's told me about his past haven't scared me off, nothing will.

"Love you too," he says kissing me again passionately.

Eventually I pull away and tell him I need to get to work on that dinner party menu. Which of course has to be even better than usual since of course we'll be eating it too. I don't want to eat a subpar dinner and then have to tell everyone else at the table that I cooked it.

I'm just finishing setting everything on the table with warming charms, when I hear the bell ring. Cissa said dinner would be at seven-thirty. Normal people, excluding my mother, are never early for dinner parties, even small casual ones like this. They're twenty minutes late, not a half hour early. I'm still wearing my housemaid outfit, which Cissa informed me I no longer have to wear, but I haven't had time to burn it yet. My makeup is still a mess from this afternoon's episode. I still can't believe that Draco's family is… and that they accept me. They would never if they knew… if they knew about the piece of wood in my pocket and what I could do with it. I can _never_ tell him.

I pass Cissa on her way to answer the door, and tell her to start the first course without me and Draco. I obviously still need to get dressed, and she understands completely, saying they will start on the appetizers I made, and catch up with their friends.

Rushing upstairs, I find Drake in my bedroom, a light blue dress pulled from my closet. Ironically, it's the exact dress I would have chosen for tonight, it's demure enough to be my mother's favorite, yet sexy enough to suit my purposes. I know I look good in it and the obviously expensive necklace Draco drapes around my neck complements it well. I hurry into the bathroom and wave my wand at my hair and face, hoping he's too much of a guy to realize it should take more than the five minutes I spend in the bathroom too look this good.

"I'm so sorry we're late! I'm such a mess today!"

"You look beautiful," he says with a grin. "My parent's will be happy to show you off to their oldest and dearest friends. They're probably only early because they haven't seen each other in years, but they'll understand that we're a little late. My mother is very excited to announce our engagement, and that she can tell them first is making her day. I honestly don't remember the last time I've seen my godparents. It has to have been back before I went off to school, because I was young and immature enough to make their younger daughter cry."

"What did you do?" I ask as we descend the stairs and head for the dining room. Draco looks incredibly guilty and actually blushes.

"I don't remember," he says, and it's such a lie I almost laugh and force it out of him. I'll find out from his parents, and it will be even better. I really could have been in slytherin.

We get to the door, and he opens it for me in true gentleman fashion, and I glide through as I've always been taught. I will not embarrass…. I stop cold and Draco takes my hand, giving me a slight tug to keep moving to the table. Cissa and Lu haven't noticed our entrance yet, but there are two pairs of green eyes fixated on us.

I finally turn to Draco, and looking him in the eye. "Remember how we said, need to know basis?" I ask as quietly as possible. He nods, a look of concern in his eyes. "Well, you might need to know that those are my parents and that I've never forgiven you for that episode when I was seven."

_Hope you liked it please review! I really appreciate it and Hope you enjoy the next chapter. Thanks Ellie_


	14. Helios Greengrass: Overprotective Twin

_I hope youenjoy this chapter... Remember to review!_

"ASTORIA!" my mother is screaming, and running to me, patting me as if to make sure I'm alright, kissing both my cheeks. And she's crying, and Cissa and Lu are looking utterly bewildered for all of ten seconds, and my father cupping my face and… Merlin, Hyperion Greengrass is crying. Oh, and _I_ might be crying, nothing new.

"Mummy, Daddy!" I say, fairly hysterical at seeing them so unexpectedly. "I'm sorry I ran away! It was… terrible! I was lost, and then I had to do _charms_! But then… I…" and I'm crying too much to carry on, and then suddenly, someone hands me tea, which in retrospect I'm sure was laced with a calming draught because it sobered me right up.

"Drake… Draco… I… I'm…" I'm stuttering, realizing that he's… Oh Merlin…

"_She's _you're lost daughter?" exclaims Lu. "She's been right under our noses the entire time! I've… I've been pretending to be a _muggle _so a witch can…" I think it's the first time I've ever seen him speechless.

"Darling! I'm so glad you're safe! And you look wonderful! I can't wait to meet this gardener!" exclaims my mum.

"That would be me," says Draco, puffing out his chest, and in that moment I realize he too has been hiding his magic, and we were both guilty of the same lies. I guess I'm forgiven and maybe I'll eventually forget the ordeal that was the trauma of my childhood. Probably why I never had to see the Malfoy family again.

"But you're that nasty boy who was so terrible to Ria," says my father with a look of astonishment and there's a loud gasp from the Malfoy parents as they recall the incident. Draco flushes, as he should.

"But you're a pureblood," says my mum at almost the same time. "She said she was marrying a muggle."

"I thought he was a muggle," I say, trying to explain the situation. "It's…. Merlin! Are you really that horrible, snotty, brat that turned me into a ferret?" I say turning to him and whipping my wand out, still unable to believe they are one and the same.

He closes his eyes and visibly gulps as he nods. "Yes," he rasps out, and I can feel all the eyes in the room on us.

"I _loathed you_!" I say levelly. "I did nothing but dream of revenge every single day I was in that itchy, hairy little body, which was an entire four months, you know. Daphne told her friend Pansy I was the family pet! I made countless trips to the children's ward at St. Mungo's before they figured out a spell that could change me back!" Draco winced as I ranted at him. "I dreamed of the day I could get even, avoiding you in school until I came up with the perfect revenge. Prior to meeting you, the happiest day of my life was the day I heard Professor Moody turned _you_ into a ferret! Even this past year, I've still fantasized about my ultimate revenge! And now you've ruined even that!" As the words tumble out, I realize the perfect revenge would have been throwing his heart at his feet, but if I did that, I would have to tear out my own. I can never… I love him and the past is the past. As I always tell him, I see past it. And now as I look at him, knowing his involvement in the war, I don't see him a bit differently.

"I'm sorry. I was sorry as soon as I did it," he mumbles. "Do your worst, I deserve it."

He looks me in the eye, and looking into his silver eyes, I lose all my steam. Lowering my wand, I turn to Cissa, embarrassed by my behavior.

"I'm so very sorry, Lady Malfoy, Lord Malfoy, Mother, Father. I'm sure you're all very hungry, and I didn't make this dinner so we could stand around and let my warming charms wear off. Let's eat," I say taking Draco's hand and pulling him to the table while everyone looks on in shock. "Mum, Dad, meet my fiancé, Draco Malfoy. We're madly in love."

"What a lovely ring!" my mother exclaims appropriately taking my hand and beaming at me, approval in her eyes. "And what a handsome man he turned out to be." Cissa seems to follow my and my mother's example, cooing over the ring and pretending that the scene didn't happen while Lu, my father, and Draco exchange looks.

"Hurt her again, Malfoy Junior, and I'll turn you into a castrated ferret," says my father, none too quietly and Draco pales. Mr. Malfoy seems to nod, and I want to laugh at the pure craziness of the situation.

"I don't see how I didn't see it before, she looks so much like you, Theia!"

"Yes, but remember my hair darkened up, hers never did. It always stayed that lovely blond!"

"Ohh, remember… ohh!" Cissa is exclaiming, cackling in a very non-Cissa manner. "And we said we should push them together if your daughter looked like a Malfoy and then! It was fate"

I look to Draco, and think, yes it had to have been fate for me to fall in love with him. It's ironic really. But as I squeeze his hand under the table, I can't help but be thankful his platinum hair has darkened to a honey blond and his features matured over the years, much less pointy. Otherwise, I would have recognized him for sure and avada-ed him or something before I realized he was my soul mate. And really, he is.

Over dinner, our mothers make plans for the society wedding of the century, politely forgetting that the Malfoys are somewhat personas non-grata in most circles. My father discretely threatens Draco at least once every few minutes while Mr. Malfoy keeps bringing up my excellent cooking, particularly my blueberry muffins until I've promised four times to keep making them despite not being their housekeeper anymore after today. My mother is very appreciative of my cooking and rightfully seems astounded that I charmed up the meal. There's the embarrassing revelation that I failed my charms owl, twice. Cissa and Lu seem to realize just how much I fibbed when they hired me, but they don't seem to mind and find it all very funny to my embarrassment.

"You simply have to come home and see Helios in the townhouse in London! He has missed you so much and been even more out of sorts than the year you were..."

"The time I was a ferret? Oh, dear, that was quite dreadful for Helios," I say. "I think he dreamed of revenge almost as much as I did. And _he_ isn't hopelessly in love with the perpetrator," I say deviously. Draco is flinching. "I'll be home through the floo in a bit. I just want to say goodnight to my fiancé first."

"Of course dear," says my mum, and I know she'll be waiting by the floo, anxious to say all the things she didn't dare to in front of anyone else.

Cissa and Lucius head upstairs after hugging me goodnight. I'm fairly sure they liked me when I was a muggle housemaid planning to marry their son, but now they are positively over the moon that I'm the pureblood daughter of their best friends with a sizable fortune and the ability to do magic.

Finally alone with Draco, I look into his handsome face. "Did I mention I'm sorry?" he croaks again.

"Once or twice," I say with a grin. "I love you. The past is the past, and all we have left is a bright future together. But if you ever turn me into a ferret again, prepare to die."

"I'll keep that in mind," he laughs, finally accepting his forgiveness. "I love you, witch or muggle, rich or poor, housekeeper or lawyer, ferret or human."

"Well I only feel any love for you in human form. It's much easier to kiss you too," I say kissing him like I've been wanting to for hours, despite everything.

"You're right, not nearly the height difference," he laughs. "But I want to show you something, he says pulling out his wand."

And suddenly, a patronus is bouncing around us, and I'm looking at it and I realize….

"The first time I cast a patronus, it was the only charm I had ever gotten to work for me," I say watching the animal. "And the memory I used was a combination of a real and a fake one. The real one being when I finally returned to human form after being a ferret for almost a year, and the fake one being what I imagined it looked like when you were turned into a ferret my third year," I say laughing and casting my own patronus. The two white ferrets danced around each other and I kissed my own ferret, in human form of course.

When I finally floo home, my mother is waiting for me, bouncing up and down. She rushes over to me and hugs me tightly. "I'm so glad to have you home, and I'm so sorry for everything, especially… trying to arrange your life."

"It's alright, all is forgiven mummy," I say crying again. "I love Draco more than anything, and I know you just wanted to help me find love."

"He's an even better catch than Montressor and Antares La'Blanc put together. Just don't tell Daphne!"

"She'll know as soon as she hears I'm marrying Malfoy," I say with a wry grin, knowing Daphne won't be jealous, but she'll be excited to rub it in Parkinson's face. "She loves Antares. She'll be happy for me."

"I'm proud of you. I've always been proud of you, and I haven't done a good job of showing it. Marrying Draco or not, I'm proud. You're a good lawyer, and a good daughter, and you'll make a good wife and mother," she says, and I'm crying all over again.

"Sorry," I say wiping my eyes. "I'm just… today's been so emotional… it's been an emotional two months."

"Yes, yes, how far along are you?" asks my mother pointedly looking at my stomach.

"I'm not!" I exclaim, totally shocked and appalled at my mother's insinuation.

"I'm not blind or stupid, Astoria, and I'm your mother. It's very obvious you've been intimate with Draco," she says with a roll of her eyes.

"I've been using the charm regularly," I snap angrily.

"Then you must not have gotten that much better at charms," she says with a smirk as my face falls. "It's certainly not one hundred percent effective and if _you_ were casting it…" She's laughing and hugging me but I'm fairly sure I'm pale as a ghost. "We'll aim for a late June wedding," she says. "You shouldn't even be showing by then."

"Showing what?" asks my father casually walking into the room followed by Helios. And I want to run to him, but I'm suddenly terrified my mother is right. In fact, I'm almost sure she is. Merlin's saggy left…

"Tori, you okay?" asks Helios, coming up and giving me a giant hug. "You're scaring me, say something."

"Fuck."

"I KNEW IT!" laughs my mother, dancing around. And frankly I'm surprised she's this pleased. I'm seven months away from having a bastard child if my calculations are any good. And I was always better at Arithmancy than charms. "Cissa is going to be over the moon!"

"I… I… No… _I suck at charms_," I say bursting into tears for no apparent reason, which seems to scare Helios even more than I already have, and cause my father's face to turn purple.

"I'm going to murder him!" he roars, throwing his brandy into the fireplace, causing it to flare up as he digs through his pockets for his wand.

"No!" I exclaim. "I… Just, go take mum to bed and be happy for us, daddy." And he seems to sag, almost in relief he doesn't have to exact any revenge in his inebriated state and allows my mum to drag him off to bed.

"So what the hell is going on?" demands Helios as we are finally alone. And I launch a long winded explanation of what has happened since we parted, leaving out one tiny detail.

"And so, now you're having a baby due in December, and mum is planning a wedding for June?" asks Helios, clearly shocked.

"Yes, that's the recent plan," I say with a grin.

"Who is this prick? I think he has a date with the end of my wand for knocking up my sister!"

"NO!" I exclaim, pulling my twin into a hug. "I love him Helios."

"He still deserves a little something for this mess," he says petulantly just as the fire roars to life. I look up and groan.

"Astoria?" says Draco's face from the fireplace. "I'm coming through." And with a flash of green, he's walking through the parlor.

"Oh, hello, I'm Draco Malfoy," he says holding out his hand to Helios.

"Draco Malfoy, you say?" says Helios rolling back his shirtsleeves and standing to greet the unsuspecting Draco.

"Yes, and you are…" and then Helios is punching him before I can shout out a warning.

"Helios Greengrass," he says standing over the fallen Draco. "I seem to recall you turning my twin sister into a ferret."

"Err… yes… guilty," mumbles Draco, clutching his jaw.

"Get back up, I want to hit you again," demands Helios with all the pureblood authority he's capable of.

"You can't!" I say getting to my feet.

"And why the bloody fuck not!" demands Helios, obviously furious and gleeful to finally exact some sort of revenge on Draco.

"He's kinda my fiancé," I say quietly.

"GET BACK UP!" demands Helios again, and I panic.

"You already hit me," says Draco, obviously a bit annoyed. "You nearly broke my jaw!"

"I'll break it this time you bastard! It's no less than you deserve!"

"I was eight!" exclaims Draco, patience run out as he gets to his feet.

"Not when you knocked up my sister!" exclaims Helios winding up to hit him again, but before he can, Draco's already pitching headfirst toward the floor in a dead faint.

"Look what you did!" I exclaim.

"He didn't know, did he?" says Helios, looking sheepish. I roll my eyes and shake my head as I levitate Draco to the couch.

"Go to bed, I'll see you in the morning," I say to my brother, brushing the hair from Draco's face, and using my wand to heal his broken nose from the faint.

_So hope you liked it. Review review please! Thanks for your thoughts and inspiration and encouragement! They mean so much! Ellie_


	15. Draco Malfoy: Arse Extraordinaire

**_Enjoy this chapter and even though it's not the last, review! _**

"Enervate," I whisper, and Draco's eyes open, searching my face intently before either of us says anything.

"Are you? Or did I dream that?" he finally asks.

"I think so," I say after a pause, watching him carefully for any kind of reaction, but it's not what I hoped for if what I see is his reaction.

"How long have you known?" he says, sounding almost angry.

"I didn't even think anything of it until my mother said something when I flooed home," I answer.

"So you might not be?" he says, sounding hopeful. Why does he sound like this?

"I mean, I think I'm fairly certain, but only a test could be sure. Is something wrong? You were just saying the other day how you wanted our children to have my smile! Aren't you happy about this? I mean it wasn't planned, but… we're already getting married, our families are entirely okay with us marrying, and…."

"Damn it Astoria! Of course I'm not happy about it!" exclaims Draco running a hand through his hair. "I came over here to break off our engagement!"

"WHAT!" I shriek, entirely stunned.

"I just… I've been thinking since you left. It would be better for you not to marry me. I don't think you understand the way the Malfoy name is looked upon now, and I don't want you to ever feel the stigmatism of my past. When I thought you were a muggle…"

"OH! So since I'm not some muggle, you can't marry me anymore! I see how it is! I was just a way to redeem the Malfoy name!"

"NO! NEVER! But not being part of the magical community, you wouldn't have to feel… you wouldn't be mistreated! No one would say things about you behind your back as you were shopping at Diagon Alley!"

"Oh, so you're trying to protect me?"

"YES! I can't see you shunned by people who were once your friends and watch as people cross to the other side of the street to avoid you! They'll write terrible things about you in the tabloids. You don't know what it feels like to have everyone hate you!"

"Did you ever think for one minute that _I _can make these decisions for MYSELF! I decide who I want to marry, and if I care about being shunned and my name thrown in the mud by nasty reporters. I don't care if EVERYONE hates me as long as YOU don't hate me. I LOVE you, and I CHOOSE you over a bunch of ninnies that can't let go of the past! YOU don't get to make decisions for me! I don't care what they say, I'm in love with you! You can't abandon me and your child!"

"You think that now, but I've thought this through! When you were a muggle, I thought I had so much time. I wanted to redeem the family name before our children attended Hogwarts! And now, you're… _you_ and oh MERLIN, a baby?"

"That's just it! You don't have to redeem yourself! Why are you so NOBLE all of a sudden? You certainly weren't being noble when you took the dark mark!". That was a low blow, even for me, and I internally wince.

"BUT I DO!"

"WELL YOU CAN DO IT MARRIED TO ME!"

"FINE!"

"FINE!" I shout back as he apparates away with a red face that likely mirrors my own. If he wants to be like that, he can be like that, but he's still going to marry me. He doesn't get to make up my mind for me! I have a brain and can think! Clearly if I don't agree with someone telling me I have to marry someone like Montressor, I won't agree with him telling me we can't marry for some noble reason. I LOVE him, and I _know_ he loves me or he wouldn't be acting like this. Plus, if I really am pregnant, my child will NOT be a bastard. I go to bed angry, crying and upset that he would even think to call off our engagement.

* * *

><p>The next morning, I wake early, and automatically start looking for my uniform to get ready to go make Cissa and Lu's breakfast before I realize that I'm not their maid anymore and not even in Wiltshire. I throw on a dressing gown and go downstairs to start cooking anyways. It's somewhat soothing, and I mix up a giant batch of my blueberry muffins. I think I'll send some over to Lu and Cissa, and as much as I think Draco doesn't deserve them, I'm sure he'll end up with some too.<p>

"AHH! Here you are! Good morning darling!" says my mother, sweeping into the kitchen, obviously having been looking for me. "You really have become domestic!" she laughs.

I shrug.

"Well, if we're going to have you married in a month and a half, we better get this show on the road! I already made some floo calls early this morning, and we have appointments at several bridal boutiques in London and Paris for this afternoon. Also, I wrote out a whole list of people to invite to your engagement party. I already sent it over to Narcissa to make her additions, but I think we should get the invitations out by tomorrow so we can have it in two weeks! How do you and Draco feel about June 28th?"

"I… I don't know mum…. I…"

"Well, I think that's about as early as we can manage, but much later and you'll _positively_ be showing!" she says, and I can tell she's about to go into full out overbearing mum mode.

"I'm going to quick get dressed and floo these over to the Malfoy's. Lu really enjoys these for breakfast. I'll ask Narcissa about the list, and I'll ask them what they think of the 28th."

"Oh, wonderful idea! Just do your hair before you go. It looks like you just rolled out of bed!" says my mother cheerfully, grabbing one of my muffins and taking a bite. I roll my eyes discretely because- I did just roll out of bed.

Twenty minutes later, it's half past eight, but I was right in assuming that Narcissa hadn't managed breakfast yet. She's in a dressing gown, and looks to have had a bit of a lie in.

"Good morning," I say cheerfully as I floo right into the kitchen where she's drinking a cup of tea and looking like she's working up the nerve to make breakfast. I know the feeling.

"Tori, darling!" she says happily perking up. "And you brought muffins!"

"I couldn't help myself! I'll scramble up some eggs too," I offer, pulling out a pan and flicking my wand at the burner.

"No, you don't have to!" she protests, but I can tell she is relieved.

"I don't, but I want to. Also, you can tell me what you thought of my mum's list of guests for our engagement party, she came to me this morning bursting with plans. Between you and me, I had to escape."

"Understandable, Theia has always been… intense. I looked over the list this morning in bed, and as usual, Theia has thought of everyone. I honestly couldn't think of anyone else to invite or anyone that shouldn't be invited. Your mother has always been wonderful with social planning. I already started on a list of people we should invite to the wedding in addition to those coming to the engagement party. I'm sure she has too. I agree we need to get the invitations out. She said you would go dress shopping this afternoon, and I propose order the invitations while you're out. She says she wants the engagement party at the Greengrass London Townhouse in two weeks?"

"That's… that sounds like a good plan," I say, wondering if she knows why we're speeding things up so much. "Did… did Draco say anything to you last night about the wedding?"

"No, he was rather quiet, and this morning he left very early to meet with the Longbottom boy, they're quite good friends you know."

"Ah, yes, I guess I did know," I say thinking of all those times I overheard Lu and Cissa talking about their son and didn't realize it was Draco. "Do you think he is opposed to June 28th for the wedding?"

"That's over a year away, I thought you two wanted to get married a little sooner?" replies Narcissa, sounding disappointed. "A year long engagement isn't a terrible thing, and then Daphne would be well married before your wedding, but…"

"We meant this year," I interject.

"But… but… that's less than two months away!" she says sounding shocked.

"I know," I say. "My mother… I… What I'm trying to say…"

"Astoria and I are expecting, mother," comes the dry explanation from Draco, who has just arrived via the side door in time to see my red faced attempt at an explanation. "June 28th is fine, I'll be waiting at the altar," he says barely looking at me. "I wanted to let you know that I'll be away for a few days, mother. I'll be in touch via owl."

His refusal to even look at me hurts. "I hope you can make our engagement party!" I spit at his back, wanting to summon the muffins right out of his hands as he leaves via the same route he came.

"Send me an invitation!" he calls over his shoulder, infuriating me so much a nearby plate shatters.

The sound of the plate breaking seems to startle Narcissa out of her shock. She whips her head to look at me with teary eyes full of hope and joy. "A baby?" she asks.

"I haven't done a formal test, but I strongly suspect my mother's intuitive guess was correct," I say with an embarrassed flush before she overtakes me in a giant hug. Suddenly she's doing a reprise of the hop dance from when she found out Draco was engaged. It's funnier every time.

Apparently having heard the shatter of the plate, Lucius bursts into the kitchen two seconds later, his wand drawn, and leaning heavily on his cane as he tries to move quickly. "Is everything alright?"

"SPELENDID!" laughs Narcissa spinning in her bare feet around the kitchen.

"What's got her in such a tizzy?" asks Lu with a laugh, fondly watching his wife and grabbing a muffin with a look of delight.

"GRANDBABIES!" Cissa practically screams, causing me to blush, and Lu to nearly choke on his muffin before he looked at me in question. Apparently I look guilty enough that he doesn't have to ask.

"Not the first time, but I'm guessing the wedding date will be sooner, rather than later?" he asks, the tone in his voice implying that anything else would be unacceptable.

"June 28th," I answer, relieved I don't have to actually tell him out loud.

"Excellent," he says in answer, and characteristically resorts to silence. If there's one thing I love about my future father in law, it's is how comforting his quiet presence can be. When Cissa finally calms down, she plops down in his lap and enjoys another muffin.

"I'm going to get going, I want to run an errand or two before I go shopping with my mother. We're leaving the Townhouse at one. If you would like to join us, I can't promise it will be fun, but I'd love if you came," I tell Narcissa, who is once again teary eyed at being included.

"I'd love to," she squeals with a huge smile. "After all, this is the wedding of my only son, and with no daughters, I wasn't expecting to get to do all the fun things. I'm delighted to be invited," she adds, more dignified.

After a quick goodbye, I floo to the Leaky Cauldron, and head out into muggle London, which is of course the best place to go when one doesn't want these kind of things broadcasted. I hurry along, not wanting to be recognized by anyone as I pop into the drugstore and duck my head, making my way through the isles quickly. Making my purchases, I quickly leave, knowing as this is the closest drugstore to Diagon, the likelihood of running into a member of the magical community is that much greater.

Arriving back at home, the suspicions are confirmed, and I can't help but feel a fluttery feeling of excitement. Although I knew the symptoms were all there, seeing that little positive test made it seem real. I am going to be a mum by the new year.

**Dont hate me! I know this chapter probably threw you for a loop, but everything can't just be perfect just yet, Plus that means there's that much more to go. I love hearing from you and appreciate every single review! Enjoy the next chapter after reviewing this one. ;)**

**Ellie**


	16. Daphne Greengrass: Professional Shopper

**Pleasereview and enjoy this chapter before reading the next! **

I spend the rest of the morning writing letters to Luna and Ginny and my Bauxbatons friend Celeste asking them to be my bridesmaids and informing them of my recent engagement. I try to convince myself it is not intentional that I omit exactly who I'm marrying. Ginny and Luna both know from our recent correspondence that I'm head over heels for Drake, so I simply omit that last night I found out he's really Draco Malfoy. I invite all three of them to tea this week, and I'll tell them then. Celeste, sweet girl, won't have a problem with Malfoy, mostly because she never met him when he was an absolute arse. Ginny might have a minor problem with him, but since her husband was largely the reason that the Malfoys were pardoned after the first war... I think Lucius had a house arrest, but it wasn't as major as it could have been. I honestly can't predict what Luna will say. She's a bit unpredictable to begin with.

My mother, loving things French above all others, drags us to Paris first. Daphne and Narcissa are the only ones we bring along. Daphne seemed a bit confused this morning when I told her I was marrying Draco Malfoy in two months, not some gardener, but she was happy to accept the position of maid of honor. I know she'll do an excellent job since my sister, annoyingly, is never less than perfect.

We haven't been in the first store ten minutes when we encounter the first problem, or rather my mother does. "Astoria!" she hisses as she tries to squeeze me into the first dress, one that Daphne chose. I have a feeling I've seen it before back when we went dress shopping for Daphne. She had dragged me through several boutiques one afternoon after forcing me to take a lunch hour which turned into three hours. She wanted to 'get a feel' for what dresses were out, in case Antares happened to propose. He proposed a month later, so apparently he got the hint.

"What?" I ask, wondering what had my mother upset _now._

"This _positively_ doesn't fit!" she whispers as if in a panic. "Are you _already_ putting on baby weight?"

"What size is it?" I ask in alarm.

"It's a double zero, which I know for fact is the size you wore to the benefit three days before you ran off!" she says, reminding me of the slinky black dress she had forced me into for the event.

"I ate a lot better when I was working at the Malfoys than I had been. I think that any weight I've put on is just healthy, me eating more. Ginny told me a couple weeks ago that my face was looking less half starved, so it's probably normal," I say after a moment of panic. I have felt a lot healthier lately, and Draco had noticed a difference ages ago, telling me he liked that I wasn't so sickly thin as when we first met.

"Hmm," she says giving me a critical look before popping her head out and asking the sales assistant for a selection of dresses in the next two sizes. My mother seems appalled when we realize I've gone up two sizes and am now wearing a one. I honestly think I could stand to gain quite a bit more weight. Besides, looking at myself, I realize most of it has distributed quite nicely to my breasts. No wonder Draco's noticed.

While Daphne, Narcissa, and my mum agree that nearly every dress looks lovely, none of them are what I see myself getting married in. Daphne's favorite is too slinky, my mother's has too many frills, Cissa's is too shiny material, and I just don't get _that _feeling. The one that brides claim they feel in _the_ dress. I am not sure what I'm expecting, but for some reason I feel like finding the perfect dress is a little like finding your wand at Olivanders when you're eleven. When you put it on, it's going to be magical, and as if the dress chooses you, because to be honest, it would be pretty easy just to pick a dress.

After spending an exhausting five and a half hours in the three primary bridal stores in Paris, my mother admits defeat and we get dinner. I guess I missed French food a bit in England, or maybe I'm starved, but the French Restraunt we go to is absolutely divine. Best meal ever!

However, my mother is being an absolute house elf driver and drags us through the international floo back to England. Stepping into the first store after dinner, I'm a little irritated. There are tons of dresses, and likely I'll be in over half of them before the night is out. Is it too much to wish we could have split this shopping extravaganza into two days? I decide I'll sit while mum, Daphne, and Cissa all pick out dresses for me to try. I'll be standing for at least an hour once they start putting me in them so I should rest while I can. The nice sales assistant brings me a cup of tea, and I'm just getting comfortable, when my mother, Cissa, and Daphne all come up, dresses in their arms and drifting behind them magically. My mother has one somehow hanging from her head, and it looks rather comical.

"Try this one first! It's the ONE!" says Daphne, shoving one in my face with a huge grin.

"No, I really think you're going to _positively _love this one! I'm _positive_ I found it!" says my mother, showing the first signs of her wanting to get this over with sooner rather than later.

"Mum! She didn't care for any of yours in France, but she nearly chose the one with the dropped waist and pearled bodice."

"How about I try mum's then Daphne's and then Cissa's favorite choices until we get through your picks. Then if we don't find one here, we'll go to the rest of the stores on our list tomorrow?" I propose diplomatically. I wasn't a lawyer for nothing.

"An excellent plan!" agrees Narcissa, flicking her wand to put her dresses into some sort of order, while my mum and Daphne give each other looks before scurrying to put their dresses in an order of favorites, my mother even discarding one she seems to think isn't as lovely as she originally thought.

"Mine first!" exclaims Daphne, pushing me into the dressing room before I can protest. "You'll look divine in this one!" I sigh and let her put me in it, letting her smirk as she takes a good look at me before pushing me out for mum and Cissa to see me. They of course agree that it's lovely, my mother a bit reluctantly. Finally I get to evaluate the dress, and it is breath taking. I absolutely love it. It is my favorite dress that I've tried on by FAR. But I don't get that feeling. I frown at myself and watch myself twirl in the mirror, the dress belling out perfectly, wondering if perhaps the whole you'll know it feeling is just a myth.

"Why don't you try on a few more, but we'll keep this one back?" suggests the sales lady, perhaps sensing my hesitation to choose the dress, despite everyone else's encouragement.

"I still think mine is better!" exclaims my mum happily, while Daphne seems a little disappointed. Once again, I'm shoved into the dressing room and pulled and pried at until I'm in another dress. My mother is looking at me with what I can only think is her Daphne look of awe, so I know it's going to be good before I step out to hear Daphne gasp. Narcissa is grinning, and they're all gushing praise as I head to the mirror. I'm instantly glad I didn't settle for Daphne's choice because for once, my mother's choice suits me. I look like a bride, and doing a spin, I smile at my reflection. I'm just a little disappointed. Still no feeling. Because even if this is the prettiest dress I've ever seen, let alone wore, it isn't quite magical.

"At least try mine on," says Narcissa after my mother says she "_Positively adores it!" _about six times, but I don't commit to it. And she leads me to the dressing room to put me in her top choice. After I've been buttoned and laced into the dress, I look at Narcissa who has a sweet smile. And I'm just stepping out into the main room when I feel the twinges of a fluttering in my heart. Stepping out, I give an unsure smile to my mum, who takes one look at me before she starts crying. Daphne looks to be close to tears, but her hands are clasped beneath her chin and she has a huge grin. Heading to the mirror, that little feeling inside me is growing stronger, and seeing myself I know. I just know. I grin at myself as I do a spin, letting my arms fly out around me. _This_ is the dress. I _know_. I can't explain how, but that fluttery feeling in my heart, and the giddiness that accompanies it, must be sure signs. My mother is rushing up to hug me, tears streaming down her face as she goes on and on how much she loves the dress, while Daphne is already putting away the rest of the dresses. Narcissa looks ready to burst into her hop dance, and to be honest, I'm close to joining her when my mother grabs her hands and they join in one together, the absolute funniest thing I've ever seen in my life. I'm laughing and watching my mother cry as she does a hop dance with my future mother in law, when I feel the fluttery feeling in my heart shift lower. I guess that little feeling just keeps growing almost as if it's ready to burst out of me…. Oh…. No… that's definitely not related. I promptly lean over, and my lovely French dinner makes an encore appearance, stopping the celebration abruptly.

"NOT ON THE DRESS!" screeches my mother in despair as the Sales Lady looks utterly horrified that I've thrown up on her pristine floors. I'm mortified. I have no idea where that came from! I'm standing there, growing more red faced by the moment until Cissa intervenes, flicking her wand to vanish the mess and addressing the sales lady sternly.

"We'll take the dress in both this size and the next up, charge it to the Malfoy Account, and when we come in for fittings I'm sure that any flaws to the dress caused by this accident will be well cleaned." And she drags me into the fitting room to take off _my wedding dress_, and I change back into my clothes, still mortified, before we leave the store.

"Of all the moments for your first bought of morning sickness to appear!" says my mother as soon as we're out of the store, causing Cissa to nod while Daphne to look at me in shock. I might not have mentioned anything to my sister yet. Woops. I flush again, but Daphne, ever proper doesn't bring it up and seems to accept it without need for prying. If she feels the need later, I'm sure she won't hesitate to corner me alone though. She's always been slytherin that way.

We reach the post office just before it closes, and it is only my mother and Lady Malfoy's ability to get whatever they want that produces the engagement party invitation order. My mother imperiously demands that Mr. Louis, who she always insists on to write any invitation, set to work on handwriting our invitations as soon as he gets in tomorrow. She and Narcissa quickly agree on the wording and hand over the list. They promise to be back soon with an order for the wedding invitations, and after paying a large upfront sum, leave the poor postmaster shamed at his attempt to push their business off until the next day.

Once home, I'm exhausted, mentally, physically, and emotionally. I barely nod at my father and Helios who are going over some paperwork in their study on my way up to bed before I collapse and go to sleep.

**Thanks for readiNg. I hope you liked it! Please review and Then enjoy the next chapter. Elaine **


	17. Neville Longbottom: Exceptional Friend

_**Thanks for all the recent and review before reading the next chapter!**_

The next two weeks absolutely fly by, and I'm more than a little upset when I don't see Draco at all. I'm terrified he might really be serious about that not getting married nonsense. I discretely ask Cissa and Lu, who I see almost every day, if they've seen him around, but he's been missing the entire time. I'm getting ready for our engagement party, and I honestly don't know if Draco's even coming. I've spent almost every waking hour the past two weeks preparing for this bloody party, and he probably won't even show. I'll be ruined _and_ humiliated.

Sitting in front of the mirror at my dressing table, I look myself over closely, adjusting a golden curl. My make up looks perfect, as does my hair, and the lovely green dress I'm wearing; but my reflection scares me a bit. I silently wonder if I'm turning back into Astoria Greengrass, Attorney at Law. I've wondered if the stress of planning this wedding with my mother and having everything that's happening, or should I say not happening, between Draco and I, is going to be too much. Frowning at myself, I grab another pin and jab it into my hair angrily, finally forcing that irritating curl into place.

Conceding to myself that nothing more I do to my hair is really going to make me feel any better, I sigh. Content to frown at my reflection for a few more minutes until my mum comes to absolutely drag me down to the party, I let my mind drift. Who is coming, who I'll need to talk to, who I'll need to personally apologize to when Draco doesn't show, what I'll say when it's obvious he hasn't bothered to owl his regrets, what I'll do when I get my hands on him…

"I'm not sure what you're frowning about, but you look absolutely gorgeous," comes a voice, startling me out of my reverie. And I guess I go entirely against my previous contemplations when instead of hexing him into next week, I find myself flying into his arms. "You came!" I say, tears of relief threatening.

"Well of course," he says, sounding shocked. As if we hadn't fought when we last saw each other and I had no reason to fear his absence. "It's generally considered bad form to miss your own engagement party." And his attempt to roll everything under the rug causes my temper to flare.

"Yes, but _sometimes_, when the groom tells the bride the wedding is off, and then she informs him he's going to have to marry her, and then he tells her to _send him an initiation_ to the engagement party, a bride can't help but worry he might not bother standing her up at the actual altar and might just skip the engagement party," I say, my anger mounting.

"Tori… I… alright, maybe I wasn't being entirely rational when I said some… "

"So you didn't mean it?" I demand, finally able to tell him exactly what I think about what he told me two weeks ago. "You mean you just decided to tell me you didn't want to marry me, but you _weren't being entirely rational?_ When you said you don't love our child or me!_"_

"You don't understand. I never meant to imply that I don't love you or the baby, but…. Merlin, Astoria," he says, running his hand through his hair, messing up the style. "I just _have_ to fix things before…"

"You HAVE to fix things! How! Because really the thing you should be worried about fixing is your relationship with ME!" I exclaim, interrupting him. "You think that your _reputation_ and your _past _associated with your name is going to _HURT_ me? Well guess what, I'm already hurt and it was YOU that did it. All by yourself, without any help from your tarnished reputation or past. It was your own bloody EGO and false NOBILITY, _Lord_ Malfoy."

Turning my back on him, I reexamine my reflection in the mirror. It's almost time to go down, and I don't want to show up looking like I was just fighting with my fiancé. Surprisingly, my reflection is improved.

Draco comes up behind me and I can't see his face, his reflection just outside of the mirror, but his voice makes the words ring all the truer. "I'm sorry," he says, and I know he means it. However, I also notice he doesn't say, 'You were right, I was wrong'. That would be too un-Malfoy-like I guess. I'm caving, when I feel something cold and heavy settle around my neck. Looking back up at my reflection, I notice he's draped a necklace with giant green emeralds around my neck. "And these aren't part of the apology, these are an engagement gift," he says as he struggles with the clasp. "I lucked out they look so lovely with your dress."

"You knew I would wear green," I accuse. I don't have to see his face to know he's smirking.

"It was a very distinct possibility, especially with those green eyes of yours and that name you're so intent on trading in for mine," he drawls.

"I'm considering keeping it. You know, _you _could take _Greengrass_," I say evilly.

"Over my and several other dead bodies, your mother's included," he laughs, not taking the bait for a second. "I think the majority of guests are waiting for us to make our big appearance." He offers me his arm, and I know we've got some sort of truce. I'm not one to look a gift hippogriff in the mouth twice, and if he's apologized once for tonight I'm not going to keep pushing it. Plus, he did admit he loves me, which is almost all a girl ever needs to hear. There may still be an undercurrent of tension and I'm still unhappy and confused with things between us, but he's here, and… he loves me…

We walk down the grand staircase of my parents townhouse into the large ballroom, where as I child I remember sliding around in my socks with Daphne and Helios. The many guests are all alert and seem to notice us immediately. While the room doesn't hush, I do hear a woman who I think is one of my mother's snooty friends comment what a striking couple we are. I smile secretly to myself. We are quite striking, with our golden hair and light eyes. Not to mention our excellent manners and dress. I try to stand a little taller so I can match his height, for that is the one thing I truly lack as a pureblood bride. Daphne jokes that Helios stole all my height in the womb, along with all my color.

Speaking of Helios, here he comes now, with what looks to be Petunia Parkinson hanging off his arm…. Merlin save us. Those sisters were the bane of my and Daphne's existence at Hogwarts. If Helios some much as entertains the idea…

"Sister, dear," he says with a slightly drunken smile. "You look absolutely beautiful, the most beautiful girl in the entire room, don't you agree Petulence?" he addresses the woman clinging to his arm like static. I'm guessing she's too stupid to realize he's insulted both her beauty and her personality. Merlin, I love my brother.

"Why thank you," I reply giving him a quick kiss. "But- I'm sorry Petty, I'm sure you don't mind if I steal my twin brother away. I simply must introduce Helios to my new father-in-law… I've been meaning to tell you that he's an absolute nut for the Cannons. Plus he has season ticks in a personal box!" I drag him away, clearly ignoring the Parkinson girl after politely brushing her off. She gets lost in the crowd. "I'm not losing her twice!" I snap under my breath at my brother who looks grateful.

"Don't worry, now that I know her _and_ her sister are here, I'll steer clear. Thanks a million sis!" he answers before abandoning me with my fiancé.

"That was quite masterful," laughs Draco just before we are bombarded with an onslaught of well wishers who want to hear how we met. Draco is quite good at fielding the more difficult questions such as why we're rushing the wedding. Luckily everyone knows it's a love match, and a few who know the real story have even spread it about. I'm extremely thankful for his solid hand on the small of my back, and his strong arm to hold onto as we meet person after person, everyone from the minister to Draco's sixteenth cousin thrice removed. I'm not sure if I would actually consider it related, but the plump witch seemed to think it was significant enough to snap a picture with us. I guess she _did_ get invited.

After the initial attack, we get a dance in, which is lovely and relaxing. After that, we wander through the guests, mingling. We run into my parents who are quite popular since they are hosting, and get a few words in with my mother, who seems to approve of our behavior and appearance thus far. We also run into Cissa and Lu, who are a little less popular, but also surrounded by a large group. Cissa shares a significant look with Draco that speaks volumes to me, who knows them both so well now. It clearly says stop being an arsehole, you hurt your fiancé's feelings. I do adore my future mother in law.

We're finally alone for an extended period of time, standing off on the side of the ballroom on the terrace. Draco is sipping champagne, and I'm pretending my watered down grape juice is something stronger while I nibble on a plate of food that Draco miraculously snatched up somewhere.

"I thought the Montagues were quite nice," I comment off handedly, making small talk that neither of us really cares about.

"Bloody hell," replies Draco, sounding alarmed and a little angry, and I wonder what I've done wrong now. I'm about to open my mouth with a retort when a bright red squealing ball runs into me and practically knocks me over, causing juice to slosh out of my glass onto Draco's robes.

"Astoria!" Ginny is saying excitedly spinning me around. "I can't believe! Oh look at that ROCK! I swear it's bigger every time I see it!"

"Ginny," I say, a little overwhelmed by her exuberance. "You look lovely!" I take in her bright red dress, and elegant hair.

"I try my best to show up brides everywhere!" she says with a grin. "But really, I don't think I managed. Although, this is the first time I've fit in this dress since before I had James! I'm quite enjoying it!"

"You didn't tell me you'd invited _Potter_,"Draco hisses, and I notice that Harry is waiting for his wife to stop hugging me so he can say hello.

"Don't be rude," I hiss back, feeling a bit like a slytherin. "Harry!" I say. "It's been ages! I've heard James is an absolute terror now!"

Ginny's reserved husband gives a small chuckle. "That he is, but I think we'll keep him," he replies with a twinkle in his green eyes. "Congratulations Astoria, Ginny says you're really happy. Malfoy," he nods at Draco as if unsure what to say, and I realize it must be incredibly awkward.

"Draco, meet Harry and his wife Ginny," I say. "Luna, my best friend who you've yet to properly meet, replaced me with these two when I left Hogwarts after fourth year. Ginny, Luna, and I were already friends, but then all of a sudden Harry realizes Ginny's pretty and they're all thick as thieves and poor me doesn't get a single owl in France for over a _year_!" I pout and Ginny looks guilty but laughs. Harry looks a little confused, but Draco clearly gets what I'm going for and sticks out his hand.

"Potter I know we haven't always gotten on. Thank you for coming, it means a lot to Astoria, and thus by association me. Weaslette, you look lovely as ever, but you knew that," he says with a smirk, taking Ginny's hand and giving it an overly flamboyant kiss. I nearly giggle, and I think Harry can tell. Ginny does giggle before smiling up at Harry.

"It's Potter now," Harry says, a little gruffly, and I stiffen. "And I think we've grown up a bit since… school. What have you been up to since… graduation?" I nearly fall over in shock at the olive branch Harry has just extended. I see Ginny let out a small sigh of relief and realize I'm not the only one who is nervous now.

"Beg pardon, Ginevra, I really meant no offense. And Potter suits you much better… wouldn't want to be too closely associated some of those brothers of yours," replies Draco. Ginny laughs, and I know she gets the joke. I just hope Harry doesn't take it too seriously. He can be quite defensive about his friends. He caught me calling Luna, Loony Luna and nearly cursed me before Luna stepped in and jelly legs jinxed him for threatening her _best friend_. He was shocked to say the least. He's been nothing but nice to me since. "And to answer your question, I went through Healer School at Foxfork, but I am still looking for a permanent position in a hospital. St. Mungo's doesn't seem to be…. Hiring- not that I need a job what with the family business. However, I'd been keeping myself busy until I ran into Astoria. Since then, well, I'm sure you know what it's like chasing after a beautiful woman. I've been truly blessed," he says putting a positive spin on what I know has been a rough number of years. Clearly Potter can read between the lines. "I can see you've gotten married. The year below us was quite the class for lookers it seems. Astoria has informed me that if our children aren't at least half as adorable as your son, she's going to feed them to one of Luna's animals. I also heard you're moving up in the Auror department rather quickly, followed as ever by the faithful Weasel. Speaking of which, where are Weasel and Granger? I thought they were your shadows or something?"

"I'm not going to feed our children to nargles!" I say, hoping that the baby can't hear the gross falsifications of his or her father. I want to hit Draco, but apparently Harry doesn't take offense at the light jabs.

"Yes, it seems we snatched up some of the better looking ones- if you can hold onto yours," Harry says lightly jabbing back. I see Draco's lip twitch and can tell he's amused. Ginny is looking pleased, clearly this is going better than I expected. "Hermione and Ron are on Holiday right now and couldn't make it. Hermione asked me to pass on her congratulations to both of you, I'll keep what Ron said to myself."

"Granger? On _Vacation_? I was sure she was addicted to work or something of the like," Draco says in feigned astonishment. "Surely she's not ill? I knew Weasley must have done something terrible to her to convince her to marry him." Ginny giggles, and I can tell Malfoy must have hit the mark on Harry's friend who I honestly do not know.

"You'd be surprised how much Hermione's changed since Hogwarts. Really I think it mostly has to do with Ron _rubbing off_ on her," Harry says and Ginny's so red she looks like she might die. However, Draco finally breaks and lets out a laugh. Harry looks positively shocked that Draco is actually laughing, but really, what can he expect? It was a joke, I'm fairly sure Draco knows how to laugh.

"Merlin, someone could have cut the sexual tension with a knife back at Hogwarts. I don't know how you lived with them," laughs Draco. "If nothing else, _that's _what they should have given you the Order of Merlin for!" Harry's laughing too, and I can't help but think this is the strangest thing I've ever witnessed. They are almost acting like…. Dare I say friends?

"Draco!" comes a voice, and a handsome dark haired man in dark robes is approaching with a familiar pretty blonde on his arm.

"You made it!" laughs Draco, embracing the man, the first of his friends that we've run into at this overcrowded party. "And Hannah, lovely as ever," he says kissing the woman on both round cheeks. She really is lovely, and I feel a short stab of jealousy. After all, she's incredibly shapely, and those curves have inspired more than a few tips.

"Astoria, meet-"

"Neville!" exclaims Harry, causing the tall man to double take as he notices Harry and Ginny. I honestly don't know how he missed them. "What are… I didn't know you and Draco were- friends?"

"Neville Longbottom," continues Draco as if Harry hadn't interrupted. "Neville, this is Tori," he says presenting me.

"Nice to finally meet you, Astoria. Draco honestly won't shut up about you, so I feel like we already know each other. Congratulations, and let me be the only to say I knew he was going to propose before he did, and I cannot thank you enough for saying yes. I think he would have been insufferable if you had rejected him- well more so than he already is," says Neville with a kind face. I vaguely remember him from my Hogwarts years. I've heard about him from Luna, but he's much better looking than she ever gave him credit for. Actually, incredibly good looking, no wonder he's here with Hannah Abbot.

"Nice to meet you too, I'm so glad that you and Draco aren't dating!" I say, earning a glare from Draco and shocked laughter from everyone else. "Cissa and Lu, I mean Lord and Lady Malfoy were getting worried that their son might… bat for the other team as he seemed to have no interest in women… Little did they… or I know… that _I_ was dating their son…" Everyone's laughing, but Draco is red faced.

"Well…. I guess we do spend a lot of time together…" says Neville. "But… Draco? They thought this about Draco? Who wouldn't shut up about the sexy muggle help for weeks?" Harry Potter is roaring with laughter, and Draco is still red faced, but he doesn't look angry.

"Shut up all of you," snaps Draco, clearly upset with the fact that other people now know his parents suspected he was a poof, if only for a short while.

"But Draco its just-" he cuts me off with a silencing kiss, earning a new round of laughter.

"I can at least keep you quiet," he says looking at me half sternly half teasing. "And clearly demonstrate my non-poof status at the same time."

"Honestly Draco," I snort in a very unlady like manner, hoping to Merlin my mother isn't too close.

"Hahaha, they sound just like Hermione and Ron!" giggles Ginny who I am beginning to think is slightly intoxicated. I don't know if I should be offended, but Draco seems to stand a little stiffer as if he is. Apparently he thinks being compared to Ron Weasley isn't quite the best compliment.

"So how do you guys know each other? I hadn't realized you were friends," says Harry, still looking as if he's confused by the relationship between Neville and Draco, which honestly I don't know much about other than Drake had told me his best friend's name was Neville. In fact, back when we were all muggles, I was supposed to meet Neville at some point but then Neville had an important date with his girlfriend… ooooo…. Hannah? That explains so much!

"We weren't until… sometime in the last year or so," says Neville. "In fact, I rather hated Draco if I do say so."

"Yeah, well I wasn't exactly fond of you either Longbottom," Draco adds in dryly.

"Yes, but it was you who showed up on my doorstep sniveling like the little slytherin you are begging for my forgiveness…"

"Your memory is worse now than back when you needed that stupid remembrall for everything. That's not how it happened…" Draco says a little too defensively.

"I could pull out my pensive and prove it if you like?" Neville offers, and Draco flushes a bit.

"I wasn't sniveling, and I didn't beg," he repeats, but no one seems to quite believe him, myself included. This is good. Who knew an engagement party could be so much fun?

"Well, long story short we started working on a project together, and the rest is history," says Neville, showing just what good friends he and Draco have become by sparing my fiancé another embarrassing story. I'm slightly disappointed.

"Why didn't you ever mention anything at work?" asks Harry. I remember that Neville is an Auror with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.

"Never came up, you don't necessarily talk about everything in your life in the breakroom," says Neville.

"What are you talking about, Ron bashes…. Yeah…" It's Harry's turn to flush, and lucky for him, his wife is drunk and doesn't bother getting angry at him. I should take that champagne away from Ginny, she's clearly had too much.

"Weasley still jealous of my dashing good looks, superior intelligence, and wealth?" asks Draco with a pretentious tone, and I can't help but laugh at how ridiculous he looks with his nose stuck in the air like that.

"Not when you look like that, I'm sure!" I laugh.

"Ron holds a bit of a grudge where you're concerned, but I'm sure he'll get over it eventually," says Harry.

"You mean Granger will eventually force him to be civil," laughs Draco. "I ran into him a few weeks ago in Muggle London of all places. I thought he was going to arrest me right then and there for simply existing."

"_That's who that was!_" I exclaim, remembering the crazy redheaded man who had had a fit the day after we got engaged. I can't believe I didn't recognize him, but… he was so angry, and I've never really properly met him either. We ran into him just as we were popping out of our hotel to get breakfast, and he had been absolutely barking. I had been afraid if he turned any redder in the face, he would have exploded. I had also been more than a bit concerned that they were going to have a fistfight right there in the street.

"_What are YOU doing HERE? Not up to mischief are you? I'm off duty but I can still arrest you any time anywhere, you piece of scum!"_

"_Weasel?" Drake had said, and honestly, I didn't make the connection. "I'm not here for 'mischief' although you are quick to jump to conclusions. I'm just going to breakfast with my lovely new fianceé. Tori, I'm really sorry about this, he's… part of my past. I wasn't… Yeah I was a total prick to you in school wasn't I? Sorry about that Weasel, but if you'll excuse us, we've been celebrating our engagement all night and my darling is starving and doesn't have time for you to rant on like a madman. Besides, don't you have a lovely wife at home that you particularly enjoy irritating? Though, how she can stand you is beyond me. Buzz off and stop bothering me and mine."_

"_You! Don't you dare speak about-"_

"_I'm sure you're out on some errand for her right now, and I promise I'll be ever grateful if for this one time, you could just… let it go. My fianceé is with me right now, and I really beg you spare her a scene. I mean, we're in the middle of _London,_" Drake replied, but I could tell that he was straining to keep the peace. At the time I hadn't realized just why… statute of secrecy and all that. _

"_I…" the man seemed at a loss for words, so I, with my inability to forget my pureblood manners, stepped in. _

"_I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to properly introduce ourselves and have a nice little chat, but Drake is right, I'm positively starving. It was lovely meeting you, Mr. Weasel, but we really must be off. I hope you have a nice day," I said stepping in and shaking his limp hand. _After that we left an open mouthed Mr. Weasel… or I guess Ron Weasley standing in the middle of the sidewalk.

"You met Ron?" asks Ginny.

"That must have been what he said about Malfoy acting suspicious!" says Harry. "What happened? He wouldn't say much about it other than he ran into you and you were acting suspicious. He wanted to arrest you!"

"I'm sure," replies Draco. "It was nothing, just a small encounter. Anyways, Neville, I know I said that I wasn't going to talk business tonight, but I just had the most interesting idea…" Neville seems to understand and the two walk off into the garden for some privacy. Harry looks after them looking confused.

"I hate when they do that!" says Hannah. "So secretive lately. Plus, Draco's been literally sleeping in the greenhouse lately at Neville's. It's a bit irritating if you ask me."

"You're telling _me._ His fianceé, who quite misses him due to the fact that she hasn't seen him in two weeks," I say watching the two men talk excitedly as Neville pulls out a parchment and begins writing something down.

"Oh… I didn't even… I was just thinking how awkward it was that first morning when I walked into the kitchen in nothing but…." She breaks off, obviously embarrassed. I'm mortified. Hannah Abbot, who is clearly much prettier than me…. Draco… no wonder he doesn't bother coming home after seeing that…

"Don't worry, he was more embarrassed than I was!" she says. "And he didn't see anything really!"

"What are he and Neville up to?" asks Harry, shocked at the revelation. "I mean, Neville's been at work like normal? What's going on?"

"Don't ask me!" both Hannah and I say at the same time before turning to look at each other with grins. I think I just made a new friend.

"They won't tell me anything," says Hannah, obviously sulking. "All I know is every few days they brew up some terrible potion and feed it to these mice, and they try growing all these plants. I think they've gone off the deep end a bit sometimes, but they bond over it. Neville seems to enjoy it. He calls it his little project, but sometimes, I think he's more committed to it than he is to me! I was hoping that _I _would be having an engagement party sometime soon. All of a sudden Draco's got this muggle girlfriend, and then they're engaged! I mean… Neville needs to get a _hint_!" she laughs it off, but I can tell she's been hoping Neville will propose for a while now. "I guess… it's just not my turn yet, but I do love a good wedding, so I'm looking forward to yours! Neville was so pleased when Draco asked him to be best man!"

"OH!" is all I can say, because I didn't realize Draco had asked Neville, or anyone to be in the wedding. Ginny is looking ready to pass out, and Potter seems to have finally realized it. She's trying to snog him, and I'm guessing they are going to have to leave soon. And that Potter will probably get lucky tonight.

"Tori," says Draco, suddenly at my side. "Let's go do some more rounds so that I can leave soon."

"We're going to get going, Ginny's first night drinking much since she stopped breastfeeding James and all," says Harry. "Plus her mum's watching the terror so we've got the house to ourselves," he adds with a wink as Ginny giggles and nuzzles him. "It was nice- reacquainting ourselves Malfoy. Astoria, Neville, Hannah," he nods at each of us in turn before dragging Ginny off.

"By the way, your mum's townhouse is _everything_ I pictured! I snooped around for an _hour_ and you absolutely must find out where she got your upstairs bathroom faucets, and tell me! Next time I want a guided tour!" calls Ginny as means of goodbye. I shake my head and laugh.

"Well, a round or two on the dance floor, darling?" asks Draco with a grin.

By the time the party's over, Draco's gone off to do something with Neville, and I'm stuck with my mum watching the house elves clean up. I'm exhausted.

"You should go to bed dear!" she says. "By the way, where did you and Draco disappear to for an hour? I wanted to introduce him to the French Minister and the man finally had to get home because it was getting so late with the time difference."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you!" I say thinking of Draco laughing with Harry Potter. No… no one would believe me.

* * *

><p>"Mione! I swear they get better at faking these pictures all the time!" laughs Ron from the balcony of their hotel suit. "Look at this one on the front page of the society section! HARRY AND GINNY POTTER LAUGH WITH DRACO MALFOY AND HIS FIANCE' ASTORIA GREENGRASS AT ENGAGEMENT PARTY!"<p>

"Oh, we got invited to that! It was quite the scandal, they thought each other muggles when she was hired as a house elf replacement at Malfoy Manor!" says Hermione grabbing the paper. "Apparently she thought _they _were the muggles, and _Draco_ was… get this… the gardener! They got engaged as muggles, and then all of a sudden! Woops we all can do magic! Isn't that ridiculous! The fiancé is rather pretty. Yes, but this fake isn't even that good. Ginny clearly doesn't look like herself, she's giggling and practically falling out of the frame every once in a while."

"What? Let me look at that! Yes, my sister is much more coordinated." Ron grabs the paper, looking at it in shock. "I ran into Malfoy the day after they got engaged. I think he really did think she was a muggle! He did everything possible to avoid a magical conflict! She looks like a Malfoy."

"And knowing YOU, it was all he could do to keep you from breaking the statute of secrecy."

"Oh… well…. Yeah... You know me luv, but I was a good little boy, don't I deserve a reward?" Hermione smacked him over the head with the rolled up newspaper.

**Review please! I am reallllllly needing the motivation!**

**Ellie**


	18. Hannah Abbot: Helpful Hufflepuff

**Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!**

It's almost two weeks later, and I haven't seen Draco since the engagement party. Apparently, he thinks he doesn't need to be measured for his dress robes for the wedding. He probably doesn't, but it's seriously irritating me that he refuses to respond to any of my owls.

The wedding is in just over two weeks, and to be honest, Narcissa, Daphne, and my mom have arranged every tiny detail. Every millisecond of the day is planned out. I swear, there are details on details arranged. It's all been nauseating if you ask me… well maybe that's been the morning sickness. Which to be honest, has been miserable. Which has made it that much nicer to have overbearing shopaholic relatives who love arranging my wedding for me. Mostly I think they are having a good time spending copious amounts of money. All 175,412 Galleons so far. Hyperion Greengrass has not been amused to say the least.

That's not to say that they haven't okayed everything with me, and I haven't put in my two knuts. It's my dream wedding. But it's a lot easier to let your tasteful relatives plan it so it's less stressful on you. Especially when you are suffering from extreme nausea and tiredness as pregnancy side effects. Speaking of which, my first healer appointment is coming up on Monday. Once again brining up the fact that Draco has been MIA since May! I want him at our appointment. But I'm going to have to find him first. I have a pretty good idea of where to start.

"Astoria!" exclaims Hannah with a grin. She's the picture of feminine beauty with her lush curves, red lipped smile, and bright blue eyes. For a second, I'm green eyed with jealousy. She's every red blooded wizard's dream. And here I am too skinny to begin with, in addition to the five pounds that I've lost with the morning sickness and stress of the wedding. My mother keeps telling me it will all come back with a vengeance, but… I just hope my boobs start doing that pregnancy inflation thing in time for the wedding. They've never been more than average, and for once I'd like men to look at me like Hannah.

"Hi Hannah," I say with a grin. "How are you this wonderful Friday evening?"

"Just getting ready for the big rush on a Friday night. I'm sure you know the feeling, what with your wedding coming up. The invitation was beautiful- the music a lovely effect. Neville and I already have sent back our owl."

"Thanks. Everything is really coming together, and it's getting to the point where there's nothing left to do but sit back and become more and more anxious about my groom leaving me at the altar."

"Not Draco!" laughs Hannah. "He's over the moon about you! And everyone can see why!"

"I wouldn't know," I say off hand, hoping that this will work. "I haven't seen him since the engagement party."

"What!?" exclaims Hannah. "He hasn't stopped home at all!?"

"He's been holed up at Neville's," I say mournfully. "You wouldn't mind giving an estranged fiancée directions to track down her groom?" I try to sound hopeful but not pathetic.

"Oh, I'm surprised you don't know where Nev lives! Here, I'll write it out for you. Draco will surely be thrilled to see you! And I think Nev's coming here for the evening, so the place should be empty for the evening," she wiggles her delicate brows at me. "I'll keep Nev for the night!" She's so pleased with herself, I can't help but grin back.

"Thanks, Hannah! You're a doll!" I say, heading out to find an apparition point so I can find this secret lair! I meticulously fluff my hair, hoping it looks good before apparating.

Neville's house is a stately townhome in central London. It isn't quite as showy as my parent's townhome, but it's in just as nice a neighborhood, and probably very similar. How Longbottom came to live here on his Auror's salary is a bit of a mystery unless it's a family home. I quickly deduce that it must be the latter, because, honestly… There's no way the government pays for this.

Skipping up the steps, I stow my wand in my clutch, because I don't want to be tempted to use it. I ring the bell, and smooth the skirt of my dress nervously. I resist fluffing my hair again, because let's be honest, it's straight as can be, and trying to get it to fluff can be harder than trying to kill Voldemort! Something apparently only Harry Potter is capable of. Honestly, his daughters will have great hair! All that body, plus if they got Ginny's or even his coloring. Bright red or jet black. I wouldn't complain with either. Now, Granger's children should be so lucky. That's a hair disaster waiting to happen if I ever heard of one. All that frizz and curls with that Weasley red.

I'm about to start pondering what mixing Neville's brown with Hannah's bright blonde would bring-Draco and my child's hair is too predictable to bother with, when the door is opened by a very bald house elf. Have I mentioned the strike is over? Just in time for my mother to move to England to plan the wedding with her elves in tow. I _positively _doubt she could survive without them.

"Master Neville is not home, Miss," proclaims the very proper house elf.

"I'm here to see Mr. Malfoy," I say, hoping that the elf will let me in the house. He looks a little stern.

"If Miss will come to the parlor, I will see if Mr. Malfoy will see you." I'm lead by the pretentious elf to a formal parlor, not too cozy as not to make guests want to stay too long, and not quite uninviting. "Will you take tea while you wait? Mr. Malfoy doesn't usually take guests, and it may be a while if he even decides to see you."

"He'll see me," I reply more confidently than I feel.

"Who should I say is calling?" asks the wide eyed elf. Somehow I think Draco wouldn't dare keep his mother waiting. It's not really lying… it's just… accepting the inevitable. I mean… in fifteen days what I say will be true.

"Mrs. Malfoy," I reply, feeling utterly Malfoy-like as I raise a cool eyebrow and look down my nose at the elf. I contemplate sneering, but decide against it. Nothing sneerworthy has occurred.

The elf has the nerve to look at me like I'm lying. Merlin! I may not look like a Greengrass, but I have been assured I look like a Malfoy. Maybe I look too much like a Malfoy! Maybe he thinks I'm faking it! I should have sneered! I'm lost in thought for all of twenty minutes when I realize that once again, I've lost my focus. I'm on a mission here. I swear, this baby is stealing my brain cells! Maybe it's about time I find Draco myself!

I'm just sneaking out the parlor, trying to shut the door behind me as quietly as possible, when footsteps rapidly approaching startle me. Spinning, I am shocked.

"Mother, how good to see you," says Draco with the Malfoy smirk and cocked eyebrow. My earlier attempt feels rather subpar and foolish now. However, as he approaches, I'm shocked at his appearance. His white button down is wrinkled and stained. It looks like he might have even slept in it. His black slacks barely hide the dirt that has collected on the knees and hem. Draco's hair is longer than usual, and perhaps unwashed. His face is certainly unshaven, for several days at least. And his eyes look tired.

"Have you been taking care of yourself?" I demand.

"You sound like my mother," he snorts. I frown back at him. "You don't look much like my mother though." I don't quite bite back my smile at the compliment before he ruins it. "She's much more attractive."

"Drake!" I cry.

"What are you doing here, Tori?" he asks, clearly not quite as pleased to see me as Hannah thought he would be.

"I thought to see how you were doing. Find out if you missed me at all and if we were still getting married in fifteen days. See if you wanted to have dinner together. Invite you to my healer's appointment on Monday," I rattle off rather quickly.

"Fine, yes, yes. I already ate. I consider myself invited," he says dismissively with a devil may care attitude about our relationship, delegating me to less than ten sentences in as many days. I burst into tears, which while it wasn't exactly calculated, was certain to at least get his attention. It also may have been a legitimate side effect of my hormones and the fact he's acting like a total prick.

"Well, if you're going to act like this, I take back that first yes," he says, looking like a total man who has no clue how to act around a crying woman.

"You could at least spare an HOUR for me!" I wail. "I just wanted to SEE you! And you can't get rid of me fast enough!" I manage through my sobs. It seems once I've started crying, I can't stop.

"I'm in the middle of something Tori! Maybe if you had sent an owl ahead of time, I could have planned an hour for us to dine tonight!"

"I did send an owl! I've sent seven in the past two weeks! And I haven't gotten a single response! Explain that!"

"I've been busy!" he snaps back.

"Too busy for me apparently! Well I hope you don't make a habit of things like this. Before you know it, you'll be too busy to be married to me, and too busy to have a child! What do you think your life will be like then!? I think it sounds pretty Merlin-damned lonely!"

"Fuck, Astoria! I have to do this! I'm… It's… almost there!"

"You and your bloody pride!"

"Like you don't have buckets full of it yourself! What would you do if I said I wasn't going to marry you, despite the baby!?"

I gasp. He wouldn't. But he's right… I would be ruined in good society for life. Wizarding society is weird like that. "Fine then," I say cold as ice. "Consider yourself freed of any commitments you had toward me."

"Damn it Astoria, don't be like this!" he shouts as I pull out my wand to apparate away.

"Whatever Draco, I will be however I Merlin-Damned please. I'm my own person from now on, and I don't have to be beholden to you or anyone else!"

"Be fucking rational for once in your life!" He shouts back. "Damn you!"

"Screw you!" I shout, throwing my beautiful engagement ring at his shocked face before apparating away. I almost don't regret it, but it was really a great ring. And Drake gave it to me when we were so happy. I almost feel like throwing it at him is like handing him a handful of our happy memories. I'm not sure he deserves them.

I guess it really is over now. I head directly to the muggle grocery store where I proceed to fill the cart with the most fattening foods on the planet, not limiting myself just to ice cream, but getting the most candy filled, chocolate explosion, diabetes inducing variety. I then proceed to head to France, the muggle way via the chunnel. Because of this, I am forced to eat the entire 2 pints of ice cream on the train ride, apparently to prevent the delicious treat from melting. Because apparently I can remember how to conjure a spoon, but not how to do a cooling charm. I think my mind reverted back to when I was abysmal at charms.

No matter, I still have lots of candy and the ingredients for a very delicious cake. Plus, as far as I remember, there must be grocery stores in France, not that I ever went to one back in my lawyer days. I'm sure I could find one though.

Six hours, a lemon cake and four dozen variety cookies later, I have enough sweets for a decent sized bake sale in my small apartment kitchen. I guess it's time to sample. Or go to the grocery. It's going to be a long weekend.

Draco POV

I sit in the quiet of the greenhouse at Nev's. I got a patronus from Nev a few hours ago saying he heard I was going to be receiving an unexpected guest, and he was staying at Hannah's for the night, wink wink, cough cough. He thinks we're both getting lucky tonight. I can barely comprehend how wrong he is. Astoria said it's over. I can't quite believe I finally pushed her to the breaking point. Not that I haven't been trying. Not really trying, but… I haven't been… trying… in our relationship. She hates me. I'm sure of it. I've acted terrible and proved that my past does matter. That I am that person. That I don't deserve her and her sweet golden perfection. Which there's no denying that she is perfection. Everything I ever wanted wrapped up into one delicious, five foot four blonde package. I really fucked things up. Looking down at her ring, the one that costs a fortune, but she tossed at me like it was a dead bug, I think of the happy memories. I can practically feel them humming in the narrow band of platinum as I roll it slowly between my fingers. It's like it's a part of her... full of her experiences- our relationship… _memories…_

I bolt to my feet and shoot off a patronus to Longbottom. It's going to be a bloodly long weekend!

**what did you think!? Do tell!. It really makes my day to hear from you guys and keeps me on track writing at least once a week!- so please review before moving on to the next chapter! Thanks! Ellie**


	19. Rita Skeeter: Nosey Newswoman

**Okay, so this is like the fastest update in like... ever... mostly because I promised to update at 230 reviews, and it only took a day. I clearly should have pushed for more, but this was already written and you were all sooo very nice. THANKS! So here you are! Please enjoy it :)**

Monday morning, I am still feeling miserable, especially because none of the fattening misery food that I tried to stuff my face with this weekend managed to stay down long enough for me to enjoy it. Basically, I was a mess of miserable hormones and emotions all weekend with no option for food therapy because of the bloody morning sickness. My single conclusion at the end of this is that it is all Draco's fault. The miserable bastard.

I manage to keep down a glass of water and a piece of extra dry toast before I head to St. Mungo's. I'm secretly full of worries that something will be wrong with the baby, but I mask those emotions with my anger toward my fiancé.

When I get there, I notice that there must be something big going on at the hospital because there are a bunch of cameras and reporters hanging about the entrance and the lobby. The medi-staff is obviously trying to get rid of them and is loudly promising a press conference at the soonest convenience when I enter the doors. I wonder what has the Potteratzi in such a tizzy. Maybe Ginny is pregnant again, and they are going to try and snap a picture of her first sonogram. Speaking of nosy reporters, maybe I shouldn't let them see that I'm here. Next thing you know, everyone will know why Draco and I are getting married in two weeks.

I discretely pull up the hood on my summer cloak that I am wearing as I head for the lifts. I think I'll be extra sneaky and get off on a different floor than the one I'm headed to and take the stairs a flight. Everyone knows which floor the maternity ward is on. Just as I'm getting in the lift and the doors are closing, I hear a shout.

"Oh Merlin! It's Astoria Greengrass, Draco Malfoy's Fiancé'" exclaims one of the women. "Get a picture! Miss Greengrass! Will you give an interview?"

If indeed they managed to snap a picture of me through the closing lift doors, I'm sure that my face was red and shocked. Why anyone would even want an interview with me is beyond me, and I'd really rather not be photographed. I don't think they managed it, but I'm glad I hit a button for a different floor so if they are trying to see where I'm going, they think I'm going to a different floor. Then I'll take the stairs to my appointment.

I'm not really a frequenter of hospitals, but the floor I end up on is a lot busier than what I normally picture. There are lots of people running around, and emotions seem high. I head immediately for the stairs after pulling my cloak a little tighter to hide my give away hair. I doubt any of the reporters got up here, but this floor seems like it might be the reason for all the madness downstairs.

The maternity ward is much quieter, and I go up to the desk and they have a medi-witch lead me to the room to wait for the Healer. He's the same healer that delivered Helios and me, which my mother said was a complicated pregnancy and he did a superb job. I expect he must be ancient now, if he delivered me. However, my mother assured me he's the best, and Ginny told me he delivered James, so I'm guessing he must be. Clearly nothing but the best for the savior of the wizarding world and his wife.

The witch has me take off my shoes and step on a scale, tisking at me and giving me a dirty look when the numbers inform me that I've lost another five pounds and am now dipping below the weight I was when I was working at the office. She then takes my blood pressure, and does some other wand movements and such before she hands me a gown and tells me to strip down before the Healer arrives.

I'm shivering in the paper thin hospital gown for what seems like forever before there's a knock on the door and the healer walks in. He's much younger than I anticipated, maybe in his mid forties, but he must have been very young when he delivered Helios and me. I wonder if he remembers…

"Astoria Greengrass! What a pleasure! You're actually the first of my patients that I will have had as an infant and as a mother! So you're having a baby! How far along are you?"

"Three months," I reply, trying not to blush as I notice him looking at my empty ring finger. It feels emptier every time I think about it, and I am starting to regret throwing my wonderfully expensive and gorgeous engagement ring at Draco's head on Friday.

"And what sort of symptoms have you been having?"

"I… well I've been very emotional, much more so than usual. I've had terrible morning sickness… well all day sickness really. I can't keep much down and I've been losing weight. Quite a bit actually. Maybe fifteen pounds?"

"The emotional issues are pretty normal, and the morning sickness too. However, it's a bit worrisome that you've been losing so much weight. I'd really rather you had put on five pounds since you're so small. Have you been under any unusual amounts of stress?"

"Well, planning a wedding hasn't exactly been cake, and my fiancé hasn't exactly been…."

"Congratulations! When's the wedding and who's the lucky groom? The father I hope?"

"Well…. I haven't exactly gotten around to telling people… but the wedding's off. I threw my ring at his head and ended it three days ago," I say, my eyes starting to water, and I'm about to start crying. I can tell he's uncomfortable, like all men are when women start crying.

"I see, well relationships are difficult, but so I can add it to your chart, do you mind telling me who the father is?"

I discretely wipe my eyes and am about to reply when the door bursts open and Draco slips into the room before shutting it firmly behind him. He looks so gorgeous, freshly shaven with his blond hair a bit tussled, his robes clean and expensive ones with an expensively cut suit beneath. I'm immediately aware of my pale yellow paper thin hospital gown draped around me like a sack and my red eyes and nose. I'm sure I look especially pathetic in this moment.

"Excuse me sir, but you cannot just-" Starts Healer Pierce.

"Draco Malfoy, fiancé and father," says Draco with a cocky grin in his smoothest _I'm a Malfoy-I'm the best-Don't question my authority_ voice.

"Ex-fiancé," I clarify before I can stop myself. "You don't get to ignore me for a month and a half! You need to…"

"Clearly spend more time taking care of you! You look like a shadow of yourself! What's happened?" exclaims Draco taking a good look at me.

"If you spent more time with me than the five minutes you spent kicking me out of your presence, maybe you would notice these things! And clearly YOU happened! This is all bloody YOUR FAULT! I'm pregnant and having your baby, having terrible morning sickness! And on top of that I have to deal with our mothers planning this giant wonderful wedding! Plus, let's throw in the fact that I am heartsick over the fact that my fiancé has pulled a bait and switch on me! Professing his love one minute and trying to call of the engagement, avoiding and ignoring me the next."

"Merlin, Tori, I'm sorry. I've been a total prick, but… I… I… You inspired me on Friday. Nev and I worked like mad all weekend… I finally… We finally… I'm ready to be the man you need me to be!"

"YOU'RE READY!?" I rage at him. "NEWS FLASH! LIFE DOESN'T WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE READY FOR IT!"

"Tori, you know I missed you, but… it was something I had to do! And… Well… I finally… It would be the best day of my life if you would be happy with me and take your ring back. It's pretty heavy in my pocket, and your finger looks so empty."

"Why should I?" I say, sniffing pathetically through the tears that started pouring out as we argued.

"Because I love you," he says stepping forward and trying to reach out and wipe away the tears. I stubbornly turn my face away, and the look on his face at the rejection makes me wonder if slapping him would have been less effective.

"You've said that before," I snap, wiping away the tears myself.

"But it's true! I love you, and I'm truly sorry for the way I've been acting these past weeks. I've been a bloody bastard, but I still love you, and I hope you still love me. Because if you don't, I'll never forgive myself for losing the best thing that ever happened to me, all because I was afraid I didn't deserve you."

My throat catches. He actually apologized. A Malfoy apologized. He pretty much groveled. And he still loves me. I can't even speak. He's so sincere, and the look on his face is so… I hold out my hand and he understands, because he's slipping my ring back on my finger as quickly as his shaking hands will allow. And then his arms are wrapping around me tightly and warmly, and I needed that because this gown is much too thin. His lips meet mine in a salty kiss, but it's soft and sweet and a perfect reconciliation. Merlin, I love this man. Even if he is an absolute moron. He's still _my_ absolute moron.

A throat clears. My entire body flushes, I've never been that embarrassed in my life. That entire argument took place in front of a near stranger. I mean, he gave birth to me… but…. MERLIN! I'm mortified, but Draco simply pulls back, raises one aristocratic eyebrow and gives him a look that clearly says, _I'm a Malfoy._

"Now that that's cleared up, are we ready to proceed?" Healer Pierce asks, calmly and dignified. I wonder if he's used to this kind of thing. He certainly doesn't seem fazed by it. In fact, I think I'm much more embarrassed.

The rest of the appointment is just as emotional, if that is possible. We listen to the heartbeat of our baby, and Healer Pierce uses a spell to take pictures of our baby, who in all honesty looks mostly like a blob. But a very cute blob. Okay, so a blob that I happen to love. Plus, one that seems perfectly healthy and right on schedule for an early December birthday.

By the time that Healer Pierce leaves the exam room, I've cried no less than four more times. He takes his leave, promising to see us in four weeks. Apparently the photos of our blob are going to be a lot better then, so it's something to look forward to.

"Astoria," says Draco quietly once we're alone. "Let me help you get dressed."

"I can dress myself!" I say, somewhat irritated, and to prove it, I start pulling on my pale blue dress.

"You're too skinny. The doctor agreed," he says, his voice sounding odd and pinched.

"I know," I say. "But… I'm sure once this morning sickness passes… Plus, at least I'll fit into my wedding dress… You just miss my boobs."

"I…. I do… mostly because I haven't seen them in a month…" he says with a smirk.

"Well you'll just have to wait for them to grow back," I snap. I think I decreased an entire cup size in the past month. Opposite of what most pregnant women experience. I was never extremely small, but my weight loss has really… Let's just say I won't look as great in my wedding dress as I had hoped.

"Or you could flash me now…" quips Draco.

"DRACO!" I squeal. "Don't be perverse!"

"What!?" he laughs as I fluff my hair and quickly fix my makeup before slipping back into my pumps. He casually drapes my pale green cloak across his arm before offering his free one.

"You are incorrigible!" I say as he takes my arm and not so discretely makes an effort to brush his arm against my chest.

We head out arm in arm, and I feel so happy just to be with him. I pull myself a little closer and allow myself the secret pleasure of smelling his unique smell. It's part expensive cologne, part earthy herbal, and something uniquely Drake. I'm fairly sure it's what I would smell in Amortentia.

"I missed you," I whisper when we enter the lift.

"I missed you more, and you were my motivation, inspiration, and muse. Just so you know. I can't live without you, I know that now," he replies, and in a rare moment of vulnerability, he leans down and kisses me. I can almost feel his emotions tangibly. All of his insecurity, all of his relief, all of his love.

"Love you too," I say with a grin as we pull apart just before the lift doors open and we move to exit.

"MR. MALFOY CAN YOU COMMENT ON YOUR WORK?"

"MR. MALFOY HOW CONFIDENT DO YOU FEEL ABOUT A POSSIBLE NOMINATION FOR THE FLAMEL AWARDS NEXT MARCH?"

"MR. MALFOY, HOW WILL THIS DISCOVERY AFFECT YOUR UPCOMING WEDDING TO MISS GREENGRASS."

"MISS GREENGRASS, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR FIANCE'S WORK?"

It was like an attack the way the reporters charged at us, shoving cameras in our faces. Draco pulling me tight into his side and pushed his way through with a "No comment," at several people as he helped me through the crowd so we could leave. "I'll be making a statement at the press conference this evening."

Before I knew it, I am pushed into the fireplace and headed to Malfoy Manor. Luckily I know the Manor better than most after cleaning it for two months and I am able to make it to the nearest bin before losing my breakfast.

"Astoria!" is Drake's startled exclamation upon his arrival. It was comforting to have him rush to my side and pull back my hair for me.

"The floo makes me sick," I finally manage as he pulls me to the sofa and onto his lap as he runs his hand up and down my back in a soothing manner.

"Sorry, Love. I just wanted to get us out of there as quickly as possible," he says apologetically.

"What _was_ that all about?" I ask, the nausea washing away and being replaced with curiosity.

**And I bet you're all very very curious! Haha! you thought last chapter I left you hanging! Not to be evil or anything- it is going to be at least a few days before any update. BUT I promise that anytime after Sept. 7, if I have 267 reviews- I will update immediately. Otherwise, it might be two weeks depending on how quickly I manage to get things together. Thanks sooo much for the recent reviews, and please keep them coming! Tell me what you think, and I love to hear your predictions on what's going to happen next. Elaine!**


	20. Professor McGonagall: Animagus

**So it's been forever, but in good news, my resolution for the year is to finish up my stories. So, there you go, your wish has been granted ;). I promised to update when I got a certain number of reviews way back whenever, and then I got one person who did about 20 unsigned reviews, and it was like... um... I appreciate the reviews, but you're the same person... And so I never did it. Sorry to all of you who legitimately reviewed one time (or once per chapter which is always lovely), and here's the next chapter. Expect about two or three more within the next month or two. I want to finish this fic before school gets absolutely dreadful. Which it will. Please please review (and forgive me). Let me know what you think. Ellie**

"Well…." Says Drake, running a hand through his hair. "It's a long story…"

"I've got plenty of time," I say raising an eyebrow and planting myself on the sofa.

"Is that what you want to wear to the press conference?" he asks me.

"What's wrong with it?" I reply defensively before I really think about the question. "And what press conference?" I add quickly.

"Nothing- I like it. I just wanted to check. It's in forty minutes," he answers evasively.

"And where is said press conference occurring?" I demand before a flash of light from the fireplace distracts me.

"Hi guys!" says Neville popping out of the floo with the biggest smile I've ever seen on his face.

"Nev!" says Draco, clearly trying to avoid my question and legitimately distracted by his friend.

"She's right behind me!" laughs Neville.

"Congratulations, Hannah!" says Drake as the ever drop dead gorgeous Hannah Abbott steps out of the fireplace. I can't help but feel a teeny bit jealous that she doesn't have to make a dash for the trash. With her luck, her boobs would inflate to become even more perfect, and she would never have a single bout of morning sickness if she was pregnant. I try not to go green with envy as Draco pulls her into a hug and kisses both her cheeks. It's not that I'm not pretty, or skinny, or bright. But I simply will never ooze sex appeal like Hannah Abbott.

"ASTORIA!" she squeals in the kind of way that makes you wish you could hate her- but I happen to know she was a Hufflepuff. Somehow, I think they are all just unhateable. Except Zacharias Smith. He was a bit of a prick. She rushes me and pulls me into a tight hug, her giant boobs painfully smushing against my smaller, tender, pregnant ones.

"Hannah," I reply with a genuine smile at her enthusiasm.

"NEVILLE PROPOSED!"

"CONGRATULATIONS!" I practically shout. And I'm not just excited because she'll be off the market. Although, if Drake was the type to have a wondering eye, I probably would be. But that is one of his _few _non-flaws. Okay, so I've not totally forgiven him for the past month and a half of being a total arse.

"And it's all because Draco is a GENIUS!" she says, once again redirecting her attention to _my_ fiancé. "Merlin, I love you!" She says, once again kissing _my_ fiancé's cheeks. Emphasis on that Drake is _MY _fiancé. She now officially has her own. And for the record, the rock is _almost_ as big as mine. But mine is clearly bigger. "But don't worry- only as a friend. I _LOVE_ NEVILLE!" And she's pulling her boyfriend in for a kiss. Who knew Longbottom had it in him? I distinctly remember him being a total baboon.

"I think Neville's been being too modest when it comes to his role in it all," laughs Draco. "I definitely couldn't have done it without him."

"But it was your idea, and the majority of the knowledge behind everything came from you!" protests Neville, pulling Hannah close to his side, still sporting the silly grin.

"Your plants were key, don't lie," shoots back Draco, also grinning.

"You're just going to have to agree that you are both amazing!" laughs Hannah, holding her hand out and studying her ring as if she can't believe it's on her finger. I know how she's feeling. Sometimes I feel the same way. Except, you know… my ring is way awesome-er.

"I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY ANYONE IS AMAZING!" I finally say. Fed up with all of it.

"You haven't told her?" demand Neville and Hannah at the same time. They look at each other and giggle as Draco manages to look sheepish.

"I was about to!" he protests.

"Well you better hurry, because the press conference is in the backyard in practically five minutes," says Hannah.

"Astoria," says Draco turning to me bluntly. "Neville and I have been working diligently on a cure for a disease very close to both of our hearts. You were in fact the inspiration to try and finish it quickly, because I wanted it- well for the wrong reasons. I wanted to find a cure to help clear the Malfoy name… but also because I'm passionate about finding a cure. But the reason it had to be done before… before… before the you know what arrives. And Neville had decided he wanted to find a cure before he proposed… because well… One of the reasons this project brought us together is because his parents were affected because of my mother's sister. And he wanted Hannah to meet them properly, and… Well… But you not only were part of the inspiration, you were part of the solution. Because… when you threw your ring at me, it hit me in the head… and not just literally. I finally figured out what we had been doing wrong, and I've spent so much of this weekend getting things together and yesterday it finally worked… and it's all preliminary, but we think…"

"DRAKE! GET TO THE POINT! You're rambling man!" interjects Neville.

"Neville and I cured his parents," says Draco. "They were suffering long term memory and cognitive impairment after prolonged exposure to the cruciatus curse, a state known as Crusanity. We're still waiting to see what sort of long term effects will affect treatment or if the cure needs constant treatment, or if initial therapy is sufficient, but… So far- as in the past two days and all of our previous testing- the prospects are looking good, and we hope to expand treatment to other victims around the world and possibly slightly modify treatment to see if it helps other victims of similar memory impairment."

I'm more than a little stunned. I mean… I've always understood that Drake was an intelligent guy, but I can't even comprehend how he managed this one. He's brilliant… absolutely brilliant. And I love him, but to a certain extent, I doubt I fully understand the scope of such a project. It's a little above my clean, cut, and dry law training.

Neville looks so happy. I didn't even know his parents were insane. I mean… I knew his grandmother raised him. That bit is common knowledge. But I think most assumed his parents were dead- not tortured into insanity by Drake's aunt. No wonder Drake has such a complex about redeeming his name for his children. The family infamy obviously spans more than just he and his father. His mother being the obvious heroine of the family.

I realize Neville was waiting for this to propose to Hannah. She looks so happy, not only that his parents are recovering, but also that they are engaged. She loves him so much, and anyone can tell.

Everyone's so happy, and it makes me so happy, and… damn it… I'm crying again! Stupid pregnancy hormones.

"Tori, are you okay?" asks Drake quietly, pulling me away from a confused looking Hannah and Neville.

"I'm just happy, and so, so very proud of you. But, I just… you didn't need to clear your name. I love you anyways, and I'm not embarrassed of you. I'm already proud of you for how you've changed and what you've overcome, not for curing some disease. Although, don't get me wrong, it's pretty great. I just… I want you to know that I'll always love you, no matter what other people think. Because I know the real Draco Malfoy." I press my hand to his chest. "The one in here," I say, and he looks down, a faint flush on his face.

"I love you too, Tori. Even though you're obviously totally insane for loving me back. I'll never really deserve someone as wonderful as you, but I'll damned well try."

"Well we can always just pretend I'm a muggle housemaid and you'll feel better about it," I say feeling the slightest bit spiteful.

"I'm going to be apologizing for that for the rest of my life aren't I?" asks Drake, running his hand through his hair with a look of frustration and regret.

"Yes," I say with a slight frown.

"Come on!" calls Neville from the other side of the room. "We should go out and open the press conference."

During the press conference which consists of Draco and Neville standing up on a small stage with all the reporters sitting below and firing questions at them, I sit with Hannah. I can't help but notice she appears to remember the newly placed rock on her finger and grin every few minutes. She's also spent at least five minutes examining the way the light reflected off it at different angles. And whenever she isn't looking at her ring, (which may I remind you is slightly inferior to mine), she is gazing all googly eyed at Longbottom.

Hah! I just realized she's going to be called _Longbottom_! Which has to be the least sexiest name of all time, no offence to Neville or his family of course. But honestly! This makes me feel a little better too… I mean, Malfoy is a lot better than Longbottom as far as surnames go. Astoria Theia Malfoy. Mrs. Astoria Theia Malfoy. Mrs. Draco Malfoy. Lovely. Hannah Longbottom. Hehehe… I let out a small laugh and quickly recompose myself, hoping none of those dratted reporters saw. I refocus my attention on Draco, who is talking about the discovery. Neville puts in a few words, and I have once again lost focus. Neville is a funny name too, I obviously won't give my children funny names… like Neville Longbottom.

"And if it wasn't for my wonderful fiancé, Astoria Greengrass," Draco is saying. I snap to attention, and I feel several eyes redirect to me. I sit a little straighter. "We wouldn't be here today, maybe not ever. She literally hit me on the head with the key and final aspect to the cure. And as happy as I am that she managed to hand, or shall I say throw, us the final ingredient, I'd like to tell her I'm sorry that I've been wrapped up in this, and so mysterious. We're getting married in two weeks, and I have seen her twice in the last month, besides today. She's a special kind of woman to put up with me, and I want her to know that she's my priority from here out, and if I manage to brew up some more new cures on the side, so be it. So, Tori darling, I'm sorry I've been ignoring you. I couldn't have done this without you, my inspiration, my motivation, and my all. And if this cure has taught me anything, it's that love is the most powerful ingredient in the world. We're so happy, especially Neville and his new fiancé, the lovely Miss Abbott, on the Longbottom's miraculous recovery. It's why we do it, look for new cures… to help the people we and our fellow men love. We look forward to curing many others of this dreadful condition, reuniting witches and wizards around the world with their loved ones. Thank you."

I am holding back the tears. Malfoy men are never this emotional. And they never apologize, much less publicly. I let out a half laugh and a half sob, before blowing him a kiss, much to the delight of the reporters who are snapping away on their cameras. I'm going to look dreadful in that photo! Neville is grinning and pats Draco on the back before stepping up to add a few more comments on the recovery of his parents, which while miraculous and wonderful, fails to hold my attention, as Draco has stepped off the platform into my arms and is currently executing a well planned escape into the house while reporters are divided between trying to snap pictures of us and listen to the heartwarming story of the Longbottom family reunion. Closing the door in a wizard's face just as a camera flashes, I laugh as Draco drags me through the kitchen away from everything else.

While I'm sure the Longbottom family reunion was lovely, I bet it wasn't as nice as my reunion with Drake, which occurred in a back alcove of the Malfoy library since we couldn't make it all the way to his room.

"I missed you," says Draco, pulling me close and burying his nose in my hair. "Ahh… the sweet smell of Amortentia."

"Draco!" I laugh. "Honestly, you're such a flatterer."

"But, honestly, that's the smell… Freshly cut grass from the quidditch pitch, my mother's favorite chocolates, a warm fire, and you. It's discernibly you. Pure Astoria-ness."

"Well, we never made any love potions at Bauxbatons, so I can only guess at what mine smells like."

"I bet I could give a good guess… fresh parchment, tea, hippogriff dung, and of course me!" jokes Draco.

"And probably Harry Potter…. You know, cause he's so devilishly good looking and always smells of such lovely cologne."

"Seriously? Not even funny, Pothead smells like old socks, a bong, and in the inside of a crapper," says Draco with a huff although I'm certain he can't think me serious.

"I bet your father smells your mum's perfume, my blueberry muffins, power and money!" I say to lighten the mood.

"Once, he told me that he smells mum, broom polish, and the seaside where we used to go as a family on his days off." That's actually very touching. Those dratted pregnancy hormones have my eyes tearing up again. "Now, I bet I know what Weaslebee smells… food, Granger, and _Potter_!" Drake seems to find that statement particularly gleeful.

"That sounds about right. What do you think say… Professor McGonagall smells?" I counter, turning our musing into a game.

"The blood, sweat and tears of her terrorized students… oh… and catnip!" laughs Draco. "Fenrir Greyback, the evilest werewolf of all time," he says spookily.

"The blood, sweat, and tears of his victims," I reply with a shiver. "Um… and… chocolate martinis! How about…. You-know-who?" I say, instantly regretting it.

"The Dark Lord?" says Draco quietly. "I don't think he ever smelled anything in it… even when he had a nose…" The playful mood is over.

"I'm glad you smell me," I say with another shiver.

"Want to see what you smell?" asks Draco suddenly.

"Brewing Amortentia is illegal!" I say with a slight roll of my eyes.

"You're going to be a Malfoy soon enough. You should know we don't always walk the straight and narrow. I'm pretty sure we have some of that stuff somewhere in this old mausoleum."

"What for!?" I demand.

"I don't know, an emergency?" says Draco. "We have a whole potion cabinet with almost every potion you could ever think you would need and that can be bottled and doesn't need to be brewed fresh."

"What sort of emergency could possibly call for the most potent love potion ever brewed?" I demand pulling my dress over my head.

"Probably one that involves unsatisfied lust," retorts Draco with a wiggle of his eyebrows and a suggestive smirk.

"DRAKE!" I exclaim, scandalized yet again. Yet, I'm still intrigued by what I could possibly smell in my amortentia, so I follow him to the cellar where we do find a cabinet full of potions, some so dusty you can't even tell what color liquid is inside let alone read the label.

"Don't touch anything, I don't want you accidentally coming into contact with one of these, especially since you're pregnant and I don't know what's in half of them." I watch as his long pale hands slowly pick through the dusty bottles, brushing one off here, setting another aside without looking at it. Finally, he finds a heart shaped vial, and grins, wagging the bottle at me.

"Ohh, is that really it?" I ask, looking at the small vial, wondering if it can even contain a single dose. Then again, it is the most powerful love potion known to wizards.

"Yup, take a wiff," says Draco, uncorking it and holding it toward my nose.

Almost instantly, I'm hit with several incredibly powerful smells. I find myself pulled toward the…

"Wow, that stuff's strong!" exclaims Draco corking the bottle. "We should probably get rid of this, who knows how many years it's been stewing down here!"

"Mmm…" I agree, gradually pulling back into myself, glad he had sense enough to cork it. I certainly didn't.

"So…."

"So, what?" I say, feigning innocence as we head upstairs. He gives me a look, so I decide to satisfy his curiosity.

"Well, I smelled parchment, so you were right there, cooking blueberry muffins, the garden after it rains, something I absolutely could not identify, and… Blaise Zambini…"

"WHAT!?" roars Draco.

"Just kidding!" I say with a huge smile and laugh. "Of course I smelled you, you dolt."

" ." he monotones.

"Love you," I laugh, flitting up the stairs with a backward glance over my shoulder, happy to see him giving chase.

**Sorry again for the long wait, I promise to try and be better this time! And the PMs I got pushing me to finish really helped too :)**


	21. Astoria Malfoy: Blushing Bride

**I know it took FOR-EV-ER but finally I had time to write this. SORRY! Please review and let me know what you thought! **

The last two weeks before my wedding go quickly. Draco usually has to go to the hospital for a few hours every day to oversee the patients that have been given the potion. Patients from all over the world are being brought to Saint Mungo's for treatment, and Neville and Draco are helping cure them all. Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom are still fully recovered after the first treatment, and have even moved out to live in their family home. Neville's grandma is beside herself with joy, and Hannah tells me the family is reconnecting and enjoying every minute. Mrs. Longbottom is already helping to plan for the wedding.

Draco has been very attentive. Technically, I live at home, because my parents don't know that I have been flooing to Draco's to stay with him most nights. I sleep better with him next to me, his warm presence is comforting. I've also been able to eat a little better too, and I'm noticing some weight gain again. I hope it doesn't come on too quickly, but the doctor should be happy for the next appointment if I keep it up. I am trying to relax and let the chips fall where they may in regards to the wedding. Narcissa and my mum have pretty much everything covered, which is always nice. Apparently, I get to sit back and enjoy the proceedings. Which, does include a hen night, although Daphne, Hannah, and Luna are the only two that manage to get entirely wasted, forcing the rest of us to be the responsible sober ones. Bar hopping along Diagon Alley is not as exciting as I would have predicted. Then again, I am three months pregnant and can't drink anything stronger than butterbeer. Luckily, I don't think anyone really noticed when I kept passing my alcoholic drinks off on Daphne… who I am not sure really appreciated all the extra alcohol the next morning.

_Like roses on a summer breeze,  
>our hearts are uplifted by love<br>It is with joy that we,  
>Astoria Theia Greengrass<br>and  
>Draco Abraxas Malfoy<br>pledge our love as one._

_Together with our parents  
>Lord Hyperion and Lady Theia Greengrass<br>and  
>Lord Lucius and Lady Narcissa Malfoy,<br>We request the pleasure of your company  
>as we exchange vows<br>on Saturday, the twenty-eighth of June  
>two thousand<br>at two o'clock in the afternoon  
>Malfoy Manor Gardens<br>Wiltshire, England  
>Reception to follow.<em>

The morning of my wedding dawns a perfect summer day, quite the rarity in England. I am to get ready at Greengrass Estate and a flying carriage will be taking me to the Malfoy house for the ceremony. I always found the flying carriage ride to Bauxabatons relaxing, so I am looking forward to the flight. My father, who has never ridden in a flying carriage is not. I think he would much prefer a broom.

"Good Morning!" exclaims Daphne entering my room and destroying my solitude, a small house elf trailing behind her with breakfast.

"Good morning," I reply with a small smile as I grab my dressing gown and hop out of bed.

"I had Biddy bring up some breakfast, which hopefully you can keep down," says Daphne. "She can do my hair while you eat, and then she can start on your hair. Do you know how you want it done?"

"I was thinking an intricate upsweep with some loose curls framing my face," I say as I choose a pastry off the breakfast tray.

"Oh, good, I am going with a sleek French twist, so it won't be too similar," says Daphne.

We chat about little nothings as we prepare, but in the back of my mind, I can feel my nervousness mounting. The other girls are getting ready downstairs with some of the family's other elves, but I wanted to spend a little of calming time with Daphne before I go down and experience the total chaos that I know will be my wedding.

Unfortunately, reality intrudes long before I am ready. I am just getting the finishing touches on my hair, which looks absolutely gorgeous, even if Daphne's look is much brighter with her brilliant auburn hair. And reality exists in the form of my mother.

"GIRLS! Everyone else is starting to do their makeup and the flowers have arrived. You positively have to come see them, Astoria! They look amazing! Oh my! You look amazing!"

"Thanks mum," I say, hopping off my seat, and hurrying out of my room before she can start crying that her baby is getting married. Not that I think she would… but… she could. Dear Merlin, I hope she doesn't!

"Astoria! You look gorgeous!" Exclaims Luna with a grin. Her wavy blond hair is up in an intricate style that looks surprisingly put together for my dear friend.

"So do you!" I say giving her a hug. "I am so happy all of you can be part of my wedding. I'm so pleased you could come, Celeste. And Ginny, I know what it's taking for you to be part of a Malfoy wedding, no matter how much they've changed."

"We would all do anything for you, Tori," laughed Celeste.

"Even if you are marrying a Malfoy," added in Ginny with a laugh to soften her words.

Two hours later, I feel like a princess in my wedding gown which fits perfectly and makes me look more beautiful than I could ever be. My bridesmaids surround me as we get ready to load into the carriages. Daphne, my dad, and I will be riding together, while Ginny, Celeste and Luna ride in the other with my mother. When we get there, everyone will be seated except Lucius and Narcissa who will be seated right before my bridesmaids come down the aisle. My hands are shaking, and I am grateful for the flowers my mother shoves in my hands before adjusting my tiara one last time.

"You look like a vision, Astoria. Positively beautiful," she says before kissing me on my cheeks and brushing away a tear. She hurries herself into her carriage before I can respond with anything but a radiant smile.

"You do look quite lovely," says my father. "You were such a blessing when you were born, and I can't believe you're all grown up and getting married already," he says as he helps me into the carriage while Daphne adjusts my dress to keep it from wrinkling. "I'm so proud of you."

I want to cry, and apparently Daphne can sense it because she butts in with a comment to keep me from tears, "Even if you do look like an overgrown hag!" I laugh, and only a single tear slips out.

"Thanks daddy, it means a lot, and thanks Daph. I love you both so much."

My father puts his arm around me as we take off in the flying carriage, and Daphne pretends that it doesn't bother her that he is possibly wrinkling my gown, but I see her fiddling for her wand. As we fly over the countryside, my father has a look of awe on his face and his focus quickly shifts away from me and my wedding to amazement at the flying carriage ride. As always, the gentle sway relaxes me. Daphne and I share a secret smile as our father, normally stoic, exclaims happily over the smoothness and speed of the ride. He seems almost childlike in his happiness in the novelty.

All too quickly, we are landing in the meadow adjacent to the Malfoy Manor Gardens, and the enchanted horses are trotting along the flowered path to the place in the gardens where we will hold the wedding. The guests have already watched us fly overhead as we arrived, and are surely waiting in anticipation. My palms are beginning to sweat with nervousness at all the people that are going to be here, and the possibility of tripping and falling. No wonder a girl needs her father to walk her down the aisle.

I peek out the front window and watch as my bridesmaids file down the aisle, getting out of the carriage assisted by Daphne's fiancé Antares who has a special smile for Celeste. Soon, our carriage pulls forward, and Daphne is kissing me on the cheek before she steps out and leaves me alone with my father.

"I'm so happy for you, Astoria." he whispers in my ear just before the door is opened and he steps out. He reaches back into the carriage, and lifts me out, just like he did when I was a little girl. He offers me his arm with a gentle smile and his green eyes slightly watery.

I smile and look up to see _him_ at the end of the aisle. Wearing the dark grey robes, that I know will make his eyes look like a thunderstorm, he stares at me, tall and handsome, the sun reflecting off his golden hair. My heart skips a beat as I realize I am actually marrying this wonderful man that I love. My steps slightly falter, but my father holding my arm doesn't let me fall or stutter, just helps me continue to glide up the aisle toward the man I am about to marry.

Before I know it, my father has kissed my cheek and is retreating to sit by my mum while Draco has taken both of my clammy hands into his big strong ones. My flowers have disappeared, but I can only focus on Drake.

Our vows are beautiful. I cry, and Drake's voice is filled with emotion as he promises to love, honor, and cherish me until death do us part. The magical bond that winds around us as we kiss is the purest of silver, matching the glean of our rings, and I can hear the guests clapping as the wizard announces us husband and wife, but I'm a little preoccupied.

An hour later, I still can't believe I am married, despite having posed for many pictures with my new husband, and being cried on by my mum, and my new mother-in-law, _and_ my new father-in-law. That last one taking place in a very secluded part of the garden shortly after the ceremony. I might have teared up a little too. After finishing up the pictures with the wedding party, we've been herded to the other side of the garden where the Malfoy Manor ballroom is set up for the reception with all of the windows and doors out into the garden open for the guests to move in and out. The guests have been enjoying hors d'oeuvres, and clap politely as the wedding party is announced and finally we are presented and join the party.

We have a magnificent meal planned, and the house elves serve it up Hogwarts style with the food appearing on our plates at the exact minute the meal is meant to start. Thankfully, the food on my plate was specifically picked out as things that I can actually stomach, so it really is quite delicious. Neville and Daphne make two heartfelt toasts, and I can't help but cry and blush from the roots of my hair to the bottom of my toes at some of the funny and sweet things said about Draco and me. By the time we finish our first dance, and open up the dance floor, I still can't believe everything that has happened. I am married to Draco Malfoy. Mrs. Draco Malfoy. Mrs. Astoria Malfoy. Astoria Malfoy.

"Time to cut the cake, Astoria," says Narcissa as she corners Draco and me on the dance floor.

"Already?" I say, surprised to hear that everything is happening so fast. I am glad we hired a photographer because I doubt I will remember much.

"Yes, the band will be announcing it any second." Draco and I hurry over to the cake, and we are just posing for the pictures when a movement catches my eye and I watch the cake topper transform from a bride and groom to a set of ferrets. To say I saw red would be an understatement.

Furious, I pull out my wand and attempt to reverse the transfiguration, but it's a nice little piece of work. Draco is frowning now too, and several guests, including my traitorous bridesmaids and mother, are giggling.

"I'll banish it darling," says Draco with a frown, pulling out his wand and also unsuccessfully trying to remove the stupid topper. Finally, he gives up and reaches to pull it off the cake and puts it under the table. The rest of the pictures of us cutting the cake are forced and we don't bother with the tradition of levitating cake into each other's mouths. It's a stupid tradition anyways, so we escape out to the garden without any cake. The guests seem to think the incident was amusing and perhaps even planned, but I think it is anything but.

"I can't believe Daphne thought that was funny! My own mother was laughing!" I rant as we reach a fairly secluded place in the garden. Pacing back and forth, I watch Draco sink down on a bench, an angry frown on his face.

"I'm so sorry, Tori. This is all my fault, not even the new potion can convert me to everyone's good side. Just who the heck would dare?! I can understand someone doing something like that to me, but… It's your wedding too!"

"Ferrets!" I rant, feeling at a total loss for words. "Who would do this?!" I repeat bursting into tears and sinking down next to Draco who wraps an arm around me.

"Weasley!"growls Draco a minute later, shooting to his feet.

"What?!" I exclaim hopping up to follow him.

I frantically follow a storming Draco to the back corner of the ballroom, where thankfully there are not many guests to gawk as most are up dancing or eating cake across the room. Ronald Weasley and his wife however are still tucked in the out of the way corner that I had them placed on the seating chart. Manners dictated they be invited, but I was hardly going to treat them as honored guests considering their feelings about us. To be perfectly honest, I was surprised that they accepted the invite to our wedding at all.

"I knew you had an ulterior motive for coming to my wedding, Weasel!" growled Draco as he finally reached the couple who was sitting alone at their table with several empty cake plates in front of Ron, and a half eaten piece of chocolate in front of Hermione.

"Well of course I only came for the food," snorted Ron, giving Draco an exasperated look. "You going to finish that, Mione?"

Hermione, whom I have never really met, shook her head and looked slightly ill.

"Damn it Weasel, let's take this outside and fight it out like real men!"

"What?" asked Ron through a mouthful of cake. "You're still here?"

"Yes!" hissed an exasperated Draco, whom I could tell was having a very hard time not drawing attention to us. "And I am challenging you to a duel!"

"What!? Why the bloody hell would you want to do that?" gaped Ron as Hermione turned whiter than a ghost.

"Don't act coy, Weaselbee, you know what you did!"

"I most certainly do not, you idiot ferret!"

"That's it!" exclaimed Draco drawing his wand.

Weasley started sputtering and turned to his wife who was starting to look red in the face. "I swear Hermione, I have no idea what he's mad about! The man is bloody raving! I promise I didn't do anything!"

"You know what you did!" exclaimed Draco, starting to the draw attention of a pair of elderly couples a few tables away. I hope the music is loud enough to prevent others from noticing this quickly elevating altercation.

"NO I DO NOT!" exclaims Wealsey rising to his feet and drawing his own wand, much to what appears to be his wife's displeasure.

"I honestly wouldn't have minded all that much if it hadn't been so damn insulting to my bride. She's very sensitive about this sort of joke after an unfortunate incident in her childhood, where unfortunately I played the role of the villain. I know you despise me, but to treat my wife like this on her wedding day is beyond the pale. I simply must call you out!" states Draco in the most lordly voice I ever heard him use.

"What the hell Malfoy!?"

"Draco, maybe if you could let Ron what he is being accused of, we might discover a reasonable explanation?" says Hermione finally speaking up and redirecting her glare from her husband to mine.

"He knows what he did! That bloody cake topper! And you will change it back!"

Rather than defend himself, Ron Weasley bursts out laughing. "I only wish I had thought up that one, but unfortunately I don't deserve the credit for it. Why don't you go ask Parkinson about it. I consider the charm she used particularly brilliant, myself. I didn't realize it would upset your bride so much though," says Ron looking somewhat apologetic at the end.

Draco's face falls, and I can tell he is at once infuriated at Pansy and mortified that he has gone so far as to call out Weasley. "My apologies for assuming it was you, Weasley. Congratulations on the pregnancy, Hermione."

I watch as both Weasleys eyes go wide, presumably because my Malfoy husband has not only apologized, but I am guessing he has guessed right as to the condition of Mrs. Weasley. Wrapping his arms around my waist, Draco pulls me away from the couple, an amused smirk on his face.

"How did you guess that Hermione is expecting?" I ask.

"Because she had the same look on her face that you have when you are feeling nauseated with morning sickness."

"Maybe she just didn't feel good," I say.

"There's still that look of wonderment and happy expectation though," returns Draco smiling down at me.

"Our kids will be the same year," I reply, watching as his smirk dissolves into a look of pure horror.

"We'll send ours to Durmstrang or Bauxbatons!" Drake declares adamantly. I shake my head and smile, knowing this isn't the time or place for such an argument, but our children will go to Hogwarts. Drake will see my way eventually I am sure.

"So shall I go exact revenge on Parkinson?" he inquires, changing the subject.

"Let's not waste another moment of our wedding day thinking about that witch," I decide as I watch Luna wobble toward us, dragging a tall man with bright blue eyes behind her.

"STORIA!" she gasps. "I have been trying to introduce you to Rolf all evening!"

"Rolf as in…." she nods, knowing the end of my sentence, having any number of possible endings.

"Rolf Scamander," he introduces himself in a lovely deep voice with a slightly German accent. "Congratulations on your marriage."

"Thank you," replies Draco with a genuine smile.

"My Luna told me you are planning to visit Australia for your wedding trip," says Rolf looking at Luna with a look of pure adoration. Luna's told me how much she likes Rolf, and it seems her feelings are reciprocated. She deserves love more than anyone else I know, and I'm so happy she seems to have found it. "Make sure you visit the Antipodean Opaleye dragon reserve. They are truly the most beautiful of dragons and quite tame!"

"We will keep that in mind!" replies Draco.

"Luna's told me you are quite the expert in Magical Creatures," I say with a smile.

"It's in the family, and my true passion is discovering new species, which is perfect because Luna here also enjoys hunting down fantastic beasts."

"You must remind her to write me more often on your next expedition," I say, giving Luna a look that clearly says she must write more often.

"We leave for Tasmania in three days!" she exclaims excitedly.

"I believe that we invited the Tasmanian ambassador, he's at table 43," I say, knowing she will be eager to do some more research by interviewing a local. With a smile and thanks, she drags Rolf off toward the ambassador's table.

"Want to wager on how soon they will get married?" asks Drake.

"They're absolutely besotted with each other. It won't be long," I reply.

"I thought the same thing about a young couple I recently saw at the opera, and look where we are now," comes a familiar voice from behind us. Whirling, I am face to face with my previous transfiguration professor.

"Professor!" sputters Draco.

"Congratulations on your marriage Mr. Malfoy," she says, her voice bringing back memories of Hogwarts.

"I thought I saw you at the theater!" I exclaim. "And later when we were dancing in the street!"

"I didn't recognize you from your school days, Miss Greengrass, or should I say Mrs. Malfoy," replies Professor McGonagall with a smile. "I did recognize you as a couple very much in love though. I was happy to hear about your recent achievements Mr. Malfoy and to be invited to such a lovely wedding. It's always lovely to see students happy and successful after graduation."

"Thank you, Professor. I hope you are enjoying your position as headmistress," says Draco with an elegant gesture.

"Quite," she answers. "Your father has been very helpful as a board member, unexpectedly."

"My father seems to strive to do exactly the opposite of what one would expect lately," laughs Draco. "In fact, when I first announced I was marrying Tori, we thought she was a muggle. He took it unexpectedly well."

"I wondered how your family would take it when I saw you at the muggle opera with what appeared to be a lovely muggle woman," comments McGonagall.

"That was the night Drake proposed," I sigh.

"Well, once again, let me say I am very happy for you both. If you'll excuse me, I think I see Horace eyeing my piece of cake." says the professor before heading back to her table where a large man was indeed lurking.

"I didn't see her the night I proposed," comments Draco.

"We were too busy enjoying ourselves. You waltzed me down the street, right past her. I think she looked quite shocked."

"In that case, may I have this dance, milady?" My husband presents his open palm in a gesture of offering.

"This and the rest from here to eternity," I say with a smile watching his silver eyes flash at me.

"I'm going to hold you to that Astoria Malfoy," he whispers in my ear as he sweeps me into his arms and whirls me onto the dance floor. I throw my head back and laugh with pure joy.

**Hope you enjoyed this last chapter. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I will hopefully get around to an epilogue sometime in the next century ;) Ellie**


	22. Scorpius Malfoy: Beloved Son

I love being married. Although, I guess it's not so much the status I love- it's my husband. He's so incredibly wonderful to me. In fact, sometimes he's a little too wonderful. Like right now, I just want to sleep all day, but he's brought my favorite breakfast and is serving it up to me in bed.

"Drake," I moan pulling the covers back up over my head.

"Stori," he calls back at me, pulling the covers down.

"I slept terribly last night," I whine. "Let me go back to sleep."

"But I made you breakfast, love," he says with a pout.

"I'm not hungry," I protest, even though the food does smell very tempting. What I really want is sleep, and for the monster growing inside of me to stop kicking me in the ribs all night. That would be fabulous.

"Want me to rub your back then?" he asks, proving once again that he is the perfect husband. Have I mentioned that he hasn't left me alone since the healer put me on bed rest because they were worried that I was prone to have the baby early? Narcissa was adamant about me not leaving my bed when she heard, since Draco's premature birth is what lead to her inability to have further children. And to be fair, the possibility of only having the one child is a little worrisome. So I've been dutiful in staying off my feet.

"No, I just… I want this baby out of me!" I complain. I've turned into quite the whiner in the two weeks since my healer told me that if I kept working and didn't put myself on immediate bed rest, I would likely have the baby a month and a half early. My due date is December 15th, but it's November 18th, and I don't think I can make it much longer.

"Want me to bring the contracts you've been working on?" asks Drake, trying to appease me by redirecting my interest. I've picked up some work with the firm, but I'm never going back to being a lawyer full time. It's not worth making myself sick and miserable. I've proved that I can be a successful lawyer and earned my father's respect, but most importantly I found myself. I have a select few accounts that I take care of, but I don't really have anything to do right now. I'm up to date on all of my accounts and Helios refuses to give me anymore due to the stress of the pregnancy. What I would really like to do right now is cook, but Draco won't let me out of my room.

"No," I say miserably. "I guess I will eat." I pick up a piece of bacon and crunch on it as unhappily as one can really crunch on delicious bacon.

"I got you a surprise!" says Draco a few hours later, coming into our bedroom with a giant smile on his face. I look up from my book feigning disinterest, but hope it's something good. Two weeks of bed rest, and I'm going slowly insane.

"What is it?" I ask skeptically. For all I know he brought me home a milkshake.

"Whallah!" Drake proclaims with a wave of his wand, and suddenly the wall across from our bed has a large black painting mounted on the wall.

"What does it do?" I ask, feeling a bit underwealmed. Some big surprise.

"It's a VT!" exclaims Drake. "Remember when we went to the movies when we were dating as muggles? You can watch movies on it!"

"Really?!" This could be good. Definitely much more interesting than it appeared.

"Yeah, so let me turn it on, I got it to work downstairs and it… here." The black screen brightens, coming to life. Before I know it, I'm snuggled in Drake's arms and we're enjoying a lovely movie about a princess and a thief.

Like I said, I have the absolute perfect husband. And I love him.

Most of the time…

My water BROKE at 3am this morning, and it would seem that my CHILD is determined to be born a Scorpio. As of right now I have been PUSH-ing this baby out of me for what seems like FOREVER but Drake has been quick to assure me has only been two hours. In my opinion that's two hours too LONG. I read something about MUGGLES cutting babies out of mothers. I've OFFicially decided that's what is happening for BABY number two. UNLESS I decide to castrate Draco…. Which is a rather INteresting thought but I had better not be too RASH. Right now I'm rather ANGRY at him that I'm the one going through this awful drama and he just gets to SIT there and watch. I SHOULD probably not make such important decisions when I'm so angry at him. And also HAVE-ing contractions every thirty seconds or so….

"Breathe love, come on, the healers are saying if you don't do a better job of breathing they are going to have to knock you out for the birth."

"NO!" I manage to gasp out before I deliberately take in a big breath. If the healers knock me out, they said it will be a couple of hours before I wake up and can hold my baby.

"Come on, the baby is crowning, one more big push," says the healer, who I swear has said that at least five times in the past two minutes.

"You said that five minutes ago!" exclaims Draco, finally losing his cool. Over the past half hour, I've slowly watched him get more and more anxious. I've started wondering if he's picking up on something I missed and maybe something's not right. It feels like something's not right.

"Mr. Malfoy, I'm going to give you this one warning, but if you can't calm down, I'll have to have you removed from this room," says the healer sternly.

"No!" I manage.

"Breathe!" the healer snaps at me, and I can tell she's losing her cool as well. Something is definitely wrong. I wish she was my normal healer, but she is technically on vacation although, we were hoping that this baby would wait for her to return. Nope, he's determined to be a Scorpio and arrive almost a month early.

"Come on Astoria, big push," urges the mediwitch on my other side. I manage a nod and somehow the next push is more painful than all the other ones combined, but when I hear the cry I think I understand.

"It's a boy, eleven fifty three!"

I'm feeling rather dizzy but I just want to hold my little Scorpion. Draco is screaming about there being too much blood, but I think I'm beyond caring. Suddenly he's in my face.

"ASTORIA, I SWEAR, TORI! IF YOU LEAVE ME…. SO HELP ME…. STAY! STAY WITH ME!"

I try and nod, I really do, I think I manage to squeeze his hand before the darkness closes in on me.

When I wake up, all I see is white. White all around me, and for one terrifying moment I contemplate if this is death. The healthy squall of a baby however jolts me back into the real world, and my only thought is _IS THAT MY BABY?_. I try to speak, but my mouth feels cottony and dry, so instead I snap my fingers as loudly as possible. That seems to be one of the few parts of me that is working.

The white curtains that separate what I now realize is my bed from the rest of the room snap open and I look into the very worried yet hopeful eyes of my mother in law, whose resemblance to an angel is only slightly unsettling since I know her as well as I do.

"Darling, you're awake!" she exclaims, bending down to kiss my cheek before being pushed away by my husband whose tousled hair and red rimmed eyes say all too much.

"Tori," he croaks, settling down gently on the bed beside me. He cups my face in his hands runs the pads of his thumbs gently over my cheeks before kissing me gently, almost reverently.

"Drake," I finally manage to whisper, my throat still incredibly parched.

"They weren't sure if you were going to make it," he finally says after searching my eyes for what seemed like ages.

"What happened?" I ask, still wishing desperately for a drink of water. That would be fabulous.

"They said it was a tear in the placenta, but during the labor, the baby was pushed up against it and prevented the bleeding. Once the baby was born, it pulled away completely and you started losing a lot of blood. They actually think that was why the baby took so long after the labor was so far progressed. The baby or your magic realized what was happening and tried to stop the labor, but it was too far gone. If Healer Wood hadn't gotten here when she did and realized what was happening, we would have lost you for sure," explains Draco, a trace of horror still haunting his eyes.

"Thirsty," I finally say in response. How else does one respond to hearing how narrowly they escaped death?

Narcissa is almost immediately at my side and helping me drink the most delicious water I have ever tasted.

"This one does not like getting poked with needles!" comes the booming voice of Lu from the door, and I redirect my attention to the other side of the room. "Screamed the entire time! At least we know his lungs are fully developed!"

My baby!

"Dad!" exclaims Drake, a look of pure joy on his face. "She…. Tori's woke up."

Lu's face pops into the curtains, a look of relief briefly crossing his features, before he shutters it behind a mask of friendly greeting. "I'll be guessing you would like to meet your son," he says, stepping around the curtain to prove he is in fact holding a bundle wrapped in a blue blanket. I think I can spot a tuft of white blond hair poking out the top.

"Yes, please," I say, tears welling in my eyes. How old is he? How many hours was I out? My father in law helps me arrange my unbelievable weak arms around the bundle, and I look down only to find my view obscured by the blue blanket. Narcissa helps me, and as her manicured hand pulls away the cotton, I find I've lost my breath, he's so incredibly beautiful it hurts.

I slowly trace my finger over his round little cheek, and his mouth twitches almost like he's smiling. I think he's going to have a dimple on his left side that's sure to make his smile as crooked as his dad's. His hair is a perfect down of white fluff falling over his red little forehead. I wonder if it will fall out in a few weeks like mine did when I was a baby.

I think I must have squeezed him, because he makes a noise of protest and his eyes pop open. They are riveting. The brightest of blue, I can't help but wonder if they will turn green or stay blue. Cissa said Drake's eyes were always the purest silver from the day he was born, so I doubt that he will have Drake's eyes. But baby's eyes change, and maybe they will be bright Greengrass green. I sort of hope they are. Suddenly his pink little tongue is poking out at me, and I'm fascinated with that as well.

"He's amazing Tori," says Drake, startling me out of my reverie. I realize that Cissa and Lu must have left. "Mum and Dad are just… thrilled with him. We've been really worried about you, and I've… I didn't want to leave your side, so I hope it's okay that they've been going around the hospital and staying with him. They had to do all the standard tests and put the trace on him."

"How long was I out?" I finally ask, not looking up at Drake but watching as my little boy slips a small fist out of his blankets and makes to grasp the air before rubbing his chin.

"About eighteen hours, and it was only the last few hours that they really thought you were going to wake up alright," he says.

"Will… will he be our last?" I finally manage to ask, voicing my fears from Cissa's experience.

"They think you might be able to have more children. It was more something wrong with… the placenta than your womb. But we're done… no more. I can't lose you," Drake's words are strangled, and I think he's close to tears.

"We'll talk about it later," I say, knowing in my heart of hearts that I love this baby too much to say I could never give him a sibling, that I am not willing to risk it all for another child as perfect and wondrous as this one. Because the pain, and the pregnancy, and everything up to this point in my life was definitely worth it.

"Did you name him yet?" I ask. We had several names picked out, but nothing was for certain.

"You named him!" exclaims Drake with a look of alarm. "Right before you blacked out! You asked to hold Scorpius!"

"I… I don't remember… but he did want to be a Scorpio rather badly. It suits him, and it follows the Black family tradition."

"I thought it was perfect too," says Draco with a smile.

"What did you choose for a middle name? Since I apparently picked the first?" As per our agreement, whoever picked the first name deferred the choice of middle name to the other. I had already mostly agreed to a constellation or star name, although Draco had been leaning toward Pheonix to symbolize the rising out of the ashes and darkness of the Malfoy name. He considered the name fairly unisex and it fit with the star theme tradition. I thought it sounded a little to sissy for a Malfoy but apparently my opinion didn't weight much in that discussion as I had only been a Malfoy for about five months. I think Cissa would agree with me though, and she's been a Malfoy longer than Drake (obviously).

"Hyperion, after your father," said Drake. "After all, if it wasn't for him, we never would have met."

"I blame Helio's poor portkey skills by the way," I retort, lifting and leaning toward Scorpius to place a kiss on his forehead. I love him so much.

"Drake! Drake!" I exclaim, causing my baby to startle a little at the sound of my voice so close to his little ears. "He's it! It's him!"

"What's him?" laughes Drake, taking the bundle from me as Scorpius starts to cry, and I am having problems readjusting him due to my weakness.

"The last scent in my amortentia. The one I couldn't identify! It's Scorpius! It smells exactly like him!"

"You know what? I think if I hadn't thrown that away, and I could go back and smell it again, I would smell Scorpius as well," says Drake with a smile. "I couldn't love you or our son more. Thank you so much for giving me the greatest gifts I've ever received, your love and our son, and thank you for coming back to me today. You scared me."

"I would never leave you willingly," I whisper, the fear in his voice scaring me. "I love you too."

Eleven and a half years later:

"Are you okay?" comes a voice from my left. I look up to see Cissa standing across the kitchen. She obviously smelled me burning this morning's breakfast. These muffins aren't going to be salvageable.

"I'm fine," I snap, tossing the burnt batch in the rubbish, trying to ignore the look of dejection on Lu's face as he comes in behind her. "I'm just a little stressed this morning," I amend. "I'll have a new batch fresh out of the oven in just a few minutes."

"Are you sure? You're a bit pale," says Lu, seating himself at the kitchen table with Cissa.

Before I got married, I never pictured living with my husband's parents. I honestly love my in-laws. And contrary to popular believe, it's actually lovely living with them. It helps that the manor is large enough to house the entire Weasley clan two or three times over. Having them there to help as on hand baby sitters was always convenient, but both of them also make for good company when they are wanted and they tend not to intrude. Cissa and I manage tea together most days, and Lu's always been around for a game of quidditch. It's truly been a wonderful 12 years of marriage, and every day I'm glad I married Draco. Despite his worries, there hasn't been one day that I've regretted becoming a Malfoy.

"Mum," comes a tearful voice from the garden door. Spinning, I open my arms to accept a tearful little blonde.

"Darling, what's wrong? What were you doing in the garden so early?" I ask.

"Why can't I go to Hogwarts?!" I'm glad I wore an apron this morning, because I'm pretty sure this one has more tears and snot on it than flour.

"It's one of the many trials of being a younger sister, luv. Scorpius gets to go this year, but next year will be your turn. It's only a year, and think of how lonely Nanna, Baloo, Daddy and I would be without both of you! Plus, think of how much Nanna and Baloo are going to spoil you without Scorpius around."

"But who am I going to play with?" sobs Rina. "I'm going to miss Scorpius."

"We all are," I answer, trying to keep in my tears. I already sobbed myself to sleep last night just thinking about sending my oldest to school today. "But I made muffins, and it smells like they're done."

"Okay," says Trina, retreating from my embrace and moving to sit on Lu's lap.

"Mum made our favorite, Baloo," she announces with a watery smile as she curls up on my father-in-law's lap. My daughter has the silver eyes characteristic of the Black family, the Malfoy ice blonde hair, and the dimple she shares with her brother and Draco. If she didn't have my nose and mouth, I might think she didn't take after me at all. She even shares much of Draco's conniving personality. I swear she'll be a Slytherin.

"Of course she did, Rina," says my eleven year old, sauntering into the kitchen and seating himself next to Cissa who immediately pours him a glass of pumpkin juice. "Mum's muffins are my favorite too!"

I'm not sure what it is about the Malfoy genes, but apparently it makes people crazy for my muffins, the blueberry ones in particular. Lu, or Baloo, as he's fondly known these days, would eat them every day, if I made them. I joke that they're going to go straight to his waistline, and he merely sniffs and says that Malfoys don't get fat.

"Good Morning Malfoys," says Draco, apparating downstairs with a pop. He manages to apparate right behind me, causing me to nearly flip the bacon onto the floor instead of onto the plate. He kisses me on the cheek before heading to the table, grabbing the basket of steaming muffins that I just took out of the pan.

"Daddy!" exclaims Rina as Draco sets the basket of muffins in front of him and proceeds to set three on his plate. "Share!" she demands, reaching over to grab one off his plate.

Within minutes, I've delivered the eggs and bacon to the table and we're all enjoyed our last meal as a family before Scorpius heads to school for and unbearably long term. I feel myself start to tear up. I wonder if I discretely let a few tears slip into my eggs that would salt them sufficiently to taste.

"So what time do we need to get leave for King's Cross?" asks Scorpius excitedly. "The train leaves at eleven!"

"We'll leave at fifteen past ten," answers Draco. "I already put your trunk in the boot of the car, and Sarabi is in her cage and ready to go in the front hall."

"What time is the car leaving?" asks Lu. "We should probably get in a few minutes early. Just in case."

"Fifteen past, dad," laughs Draco with an eye roll.

We are going to be traveling by the latest form of wizarding transportation, and Lu's pretty excited to have a go at it for the first time. Draco helped develop it at Malfoy Enterprises while working with some people in the department of transportation at the ministry. It's called a Portche, and it's an interesting spin on the wizarding car. It can be driven exactly like a muggle car except for a few minor enhancements, such as invisibility and the capacity to fly. However, that's not how we're getting to London. The Portche also has a feature where you can plan a trip through the ministry and set the car up as a portkey. Since muggles almost never pay attention in parking lots, they make perfect apparition points for cars, and it makes getting to King's Cross this morning, much easier. The ministry has a parking spot for us with an illusionment charm on it, and when we arrive, the car will be invisible until we open the doors, at which time, the car that appears to be in the space we'll be landing in will disappear. It's quite ingenious.

Before I know it, we're all packed in and waiting to go. Scorp and Rina are in the back seat between Cissa and Lu, who is bouncing with excitement.

As the clock on the dashboard ticks to fifteen past the hour, I close my eyes and feel the familiar sensation of being tugged at the navel.

We land with a massive thunk that makes me feel grateful we all agreed to buckle the seatbelts. Looking out the window, I watch as muggles hurry through the lot with seemingly no notice for the car that just fell out of the sky. Good. The statute of secrecy remains in place.

"Everybody out," I say, unhooking my seatbelt and turning to see a look of glee on Lu's face.

"We're going to make a fortune on this," he announces with a grin.

"That was rather lovely," says Cissa, nodding her head in agreement and stepping out of the car elegantly.

"I still wish I could go this year," complains Rina forlornly as Draco opens the boot and pulls out Scorp's new trunk which is nearly as big as Scorp and weighs almost twice as much (without the weightlessness charm Drake placed on it last night).

"Next year we'll let you go, Austrina," says Lu. "Maybe," he adds with a wink.

"BaLOO!" laughs Rina putting her hands on her hips. "I have to go!"

"But we'll miss you so much!" he laughs bending down and scooping her into a tight hug causing her to giggle. Cissa joins in the silliness and pinches both of Rina's cheeks while making a kissy face.

"Hey! I'm the one going away this year!" protests Scorp, looking irritated that Rina is getting all of the attention. Lu immediately sets down Rina and makes a grab for Scorp who evades, much too old to be picked up and coddled in public.

"Of course we'll miss you," I say, holding in a laugh as Lu catches Scorpius and ruffles his hair. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice an older couple watching Cissa and Lu's silliness with horror. "I think we're scaring the you-know-who's," I add.

"The who-?" says Cissa turning and looking around, noticing several muggles staring. "Oh, hello Molly, fancy seeing you here. How many are you sending off this year?"

"Five," says a startled looking woman, who does look vaguely familiar. "Are these your grandchildren?"

"Scorpius is starting this year, and Rina's a little disappointed she can't go until next," answers Narcissa, pointedly ignoring the fact that Lu has stiffened up and looks mortified to run into this couple. Lu's trying to look occupied with Scorp's owl, and Draco is still trying to adjust the handle on Scorp's trunk. "We only have the two, but you must have dozens! The holidays must be very busy!" says Narcissa striking up a conversation as our two groups merge and begin walking toward the station.

"Baloo, can we play quidditch this afternoon. Since Scorp can't bring his broom, I want to try it out," begs Rina grabbing onto Lucius's hand.

"What!?" exclaims Scorp turning back to me. "Mum, tell Rina she can't ride my broom while I'm gone!" I raise my eyebrow, and he turns back to look at his grandfather, hoping to get more out of him. I turn to Draco and roll my eyes. I think he might be trying to recast that weightless charm discreetly. I may not be the only one who isn't always ace at charms.

"Baloo?" coughs the man next to Molly, Narcissa's friend.

"That sounds like a great idea," says Lu to Rina, ignoring the balding man's question. "And don't be selfish, Scorp, you won't be there to ride it, so someone might as well use it."

"Oh all right, but don't let her fall off. It's a lot faster than Dad's old broom. And make her polish it every week!"

"Aye Aye, Sir," replies Rina with a mock salute toward her brother while Lu give Scorpius a nod.

By this time, we've crossed the parking lot, and have entered the crowded muggle station. "Rina, hold tight to Baloo's hand. Scorp, come hold mine. I don't want anyone getting lost in this crowd," I'm getting increasingly anxious with all these muggles around and the impending departure from my son. Scorp is also looking a little more nervous, and I can tell that leaving for Hogwarts just got a little more real for him. I squeeze his hand, which is still smaller than mine, and blink back a few tears, blaming it on the smoke.

Before I know it, Lu has led us to the column separating platforms nine and ten.

"Why don't you and Scorpius go first with the trunk, Draco," suggests Lu. "I'll go with Rina. Cissa, you and Tori can bring up the rear."

"Go where?" asks Scorpius.

"Why platform nine and three quarters, of course," I say with a laugh. I remember how flabbergasted I was the first time we went to the station to drop off Daphne. It was rather amazing to watch my dad walk through to the platform with Daphne on his shoulders like a golden princess.

"Just run straight into the wall right there," says Draco taking Scorp's hand and pointing with the other.

"Alright," says Scorp, much more accepting than the curious Ravenclaw in me would ever have been.

I listen to Rina gasp as Scorp disappears into the wall with Draco, and then watch as she practically drags Lu through in her rush to follow. Cissa and I take it at a much slower pace, and I can hear Cissa's friend Molly and her husband coming along after us.

The platform is hazy with smoke and already crowded with families seeing off their children. The bright red steam engine looks as magical as ever, and I feel nostalgic for my own Hogwarts days. Catching up to the patch of bright blond heads, I feel a pang looking at Scorp's awestruck face. I can tell he's anxious to go, but torn about leaving.

"How about I help you load your trunk on the train?" asks Draco. "We'll put it in a compartment so you're sure to have somewhere to sit later. If you're lucky another first year will come along and sit with you, and you can make a new friend."

"Alright," agrees Scorp, hopping on the train and allowing Draco to follow him on. In a few years, Scorp will be big enough to lift his own trunk.

A few minutes later, my boys are back, and Scorpius is once again looking nervous.

"Time to say goodbyes," says Cissa sadly. "I'll miss you very much, and I expect you to write me often," she tells Scorp bending down and giving him a set of kisses and a hug. "In your letters, you might remind me of your favorite treats. I always sent your dad packages from home when he was at school." Scorpius pulls her back down and whispers something in her ear, causing her to laugh before he hugs her a second time and moves on to his grandfather.

"You make us all very proud," says Lu. "Be good at school and study hard. I don't want to have any bad reports about you when I attend the governor's meeting." He softens the order with a crooked grin before he ruffles Scorp's blond hair and pulls him in for a one armed hug.

"I wish you weren't going!" cries Rina, bursting into tears. "I don't even care that I can ride your broom when you're gone!"

"I'll write you and tell you all about it," promises Scorpius. "I'll make sure you are the most well informed first year in the history of Hogwarts. I'll even write about the boring stuff."

"Pinky promise," demands Rina, locking pinkies with her brother before pulling him in for a tight hug.

"Mummy," says Scorp finally arriving at me. His eyes are getting a little watery, and I can tell he's close to his emotional breakpoint, but so am I. Bending down, I pull him in for the tightest, longest hug of our lives.

"I'm going to miss you so very, very much. But only because I love you more than any other little boy in the world. You make me so proud, and I know you're going to do great things at Hogwarts. Owl me any time day or night, I'll always respond," I say, pulling back and looking my son in the eye. My eyes are a reflection of his, because even though he's a carbon copy of Draco in almost every other way, he does have my celadon eyes. "Be nice, and try and make friends. Don't let anyone tell you who you are. Stay true to yourself, and you'll do wonderfully." I try to ignore the tears which I know are pouring down my face as I kiss each of his cheeks about three times before I let him go. The fact that he allows me this says more than anything how scared he is. Why anyone ever thought that sending our children to Hogwarts for nine months out of the year was a good idea, I don't know.

I'm sobbing as I turn away and let Draco say his goodbyes. I don't catch what is said, but Scorpius does seem to have a slightly more relaxed look as he finally gets on the train. The whistle is blowing, and students are pouring onto the train, but he manages to turn and give us a wave as he steps into the car. As the doors close, I watch the windows, trying to pick out his distinctive Malfoy blonde in one of the compartment windows.

"Fourth car from the end," says Drake wrapping his arm around me. "I put his trunk in one of the last empty compartments. I saw several first years getting on the train with their trunks, hopefully he makes some new friends on the train." We wave frantically, Lu hoisting Rina onto his shoulder with more strength than the average grandfather. I do manage to spot Scorp's blond head in compartment Drake pointed out. I'm also happy to see he must have found some company, a dark head and a bright red one are in the window with him as they flash past.

"Merlin, I can't believe he's really gone," I finally say, long after the train has disappeared and other families have started to leave.

"He'll be back soon enough," says Cissa with a sigh. "It seems like forever now, but you'll see. Christmas is sooner than you think."

"I wonder what house he'll be in," I wonder aloud.

"Slytherin! All Malfoys are in Slytherin!" scoffs Lu.

"I wasn't," I protest. "I was a Ravenclaw, and maybe my son is as well!"

"He told me he was a little worried about us being upset if he didn't get Slytherin," announces Draco as we pass back through the barrier. "I told he we would be proud of him no matter what, and that we don't care what house he's in." I can tell Drake is trying to make sure his dad realizes that Scorp being in a house that he fits in is the most important thing. "I think he was genuinely worried about upsetting us if he got the wrong house. Maybe it's a sign he's a hufflepuff."

"Well of course houses don't matter, but Malfoys have always been in Slytherin, just like Weasleys are Gryffindors. It's just a fact of life," laughs Lu. "I would put money on Scorp being a slytherin."

"Well let's make this interesting then," I say raising an eyebrow. "I'll put my money on ravenclaw. Scorp's incredibly bright."

"I'll take Hufflepuff," says Drake. "I wouldn't mind having a kid that's known for being kindhearted and loyal, two things I wasn't known for in school."

"Well I think you're all wrong," laughs Cissa. "A hundred galleons says that our Scorpius ends up a Gryffindor. I swear he's been trying to give me a heart attack with his antics on that broom lately. Plus, no matter what has happened since the war, he's going to need a lot of nerve to make it as a Malfoy at Hogwarts."

That night, we all waited anxiously for the letter announcing Scorpius's house. Let's just say, Cissa did a lot of hop dancing.

**Thanks so much for reading! I just had to post this Epilogue. I know it took me forever, but its been half written for a long time. I really loved writing this story, and I hope you enjoyed it. If you follow my other stories, no promises, but I do have some other half baked chapters and endings. Please review! E.A.**


End file.
